What Does your Online Persona Say About You?

CareerBuilder.com surveys consistently show that employers are increasingly researching job seekers online before making hiring decisions. Employers are definitely using Social Networking sites to research job seekers. What would your online persona say about you? “Hiring managers are using the Internet to get a more well-rounded view of job candidates in terms of their skills, accomplishments and overall fit within the company," said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder.com.Here are some job search tips from the latest CareerBuilder survey to help job seekers create a positive online persona, an effective job search strategy and sell their brand.

1) Clean up digital dirt.

Make sure to remove pictures, content and links that can send the wrong message to a potential employer before you start your job search.

2) Update your profile regularly.

Make sure to include specific accomplishments, inside and outside of work.

3) Monitor comments.

Since you can’t control what other people say on your site, you may want to use the "block comments" feature.

4) Join groups selectively.

While joining a group with a fun or silly name may seem harmless, "Party Monsters R Us" may not give the best impression to a hiring manager. Also be selective about who you accept as "friends."

5) Go private.

Consider setting your profile to "private," so only designated friends can view it.