Many employers search for your name before deciding whether to interview you. You cannot stop them looking. You can decide what they find.
Check your Facebook, your WhatsApp profile picture and About line, and any public posts. You do not need to delete your personality. You need to remove the things you would not want read aloud in an interview.
The test is simple: would you be comfortable if the person deciding on your job saw this? If not, make it private or take it down.
An employer searches your name and finds an old angry post about a former manager.
What happens: Employers read it as how you might talk about them one day. Age of the post rarely helps, because the internet shows no context.
What happens: Takes a minute. Removes a reason to say no that has nothing to do with whether you can do the job.
Should I delete my social media?
No. An employer finding nothing at all is slightly odd, and you would lose something you enjoy. Set old posts to private, tidy your profile picture, and make sure your name is spelled the way it is on your CV so they find the right person.
Someone with my name did something bad online
This happens more than people think. Make your own profiles easier to find so the right person comes up first: use your full name consistently, keep your Nasi Ispani profile complete, and mention your field in your profile description. If it ever comes up in an interview, say it plainly. It is not your responsibility to explain a stranger.
Before you move on
- Search your own full name
- Check your profile pictures on every app
- Set anything you would not explain in an interview to private
Check what you know
3 questions. Have a look at what this lesson asks.
Sign in to take this quiz
Reading is free and always will be. Answering counts towards your progress, your streak and your certificate, so we need to know who you are.
Sign in or create a free accountIt takes a minute and costs nothing.