Cleaning Up Your Online Reputation

We clean our houses, and our cars but very few people know the importance of cleaning up your online reputation. Now more than ever, employers and colleges are doing their research before even meeting a potential student or employee. A first impression will likely have been formed before your first encounter in person, so it is crucial to have a stellar online presence.

A simple google search of your full name will reveal your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram profiles, and grant access to your life, as told through pictures and text posts. Depending on your privacy settings, anyone can see this information about you. This is one of the many reasons why it is important to think twice (maybe even three times) before you post something online. A picture is worth a thousand words, and it may cost you a lot in the long run. In a survey completed by 381 college admission officers, 31% say they have “visited an applicant’s Facebook or other personal social media page to learn more about them.” Thirty percent of those who visited found information which negatively impacted the applicant’s chances of being accepted.

It is important to not have social media posts which depict inappropriate or illegal behavior such as revealing photos or underage drinking. To combat this, many students have deleted their profiles as they await their admission decisions. However, this is not an ideal solution. If an admissions officer were to search a student, and find nothing, suspicions would likely arise. Nearly everyone who is above 10 years old has already started forming an online presence. Lack of any social media profiles would insinuate that there is something to hide.

A better way to go about this, is to polish your social media accounts, rather than trying to wipe yourself from Google. Brookline High School guidance counselors teach juniors to delete all posts which relate to alcohol or drugs so that when they are applying to college, their social media profiles do not harm the chances. There are also online services dedicated to cleaning up one’s online presences, such as BrandYourself.com and Reputation.com which help you do this for a small fee.

It is also important to post your accomplishments on social media, such as awards you’ve won, sports teams you’re on, etc. Having a healthy online presence will show admissions counselors that you are mature and have good judgement when it comes to what should be posted, and what should not. When it comes down to it, once something is posted online, it is out there somewhere forever. While cleaning up and making these harder to find is a great idea, the best course of action is to avoid posting them at all.

Amanda De Moraes

Boston Tutoring Services