The simplest solution – manage your digital footprint. Start by building the footprint you want, and then nurture and protect it. Make sure that when people search for you online, the web paints the picture you want them to see. Follow the ten easy steps below to get started with managing your professional reputation and digital footprint.
- Build your professional brand (McGinnis, 2012). Create profiles in the professional accounts you use, and keep them up to date. Electronic portfolios, blogs, and professional image collections labeled with your name are good ways to ensure that the brand you are trying to convey is at the top of search engine results.
- Google yourself regularly. Consider using a service like Scoop.it or Google Alerts to let you know when information about you is posted online (Ohler, 2010, McGinnis, 2012). The best defense is a good offense - if you know what others will see when they search for your name, you are in a better position to build your brand.
- Keep personal and professional networking accounts separate (NYCDE, 2013). This seems like a no-brainer, but it is amazing how many people post personal updates to their professional accounts. At best it’s annoying for readers who follow for the content, and many times it’s embarrassing. In worst case scenarios, sharing personal information on a professional account can damage your credibility and cost you a job.
- Communicate with students only through professional and/or district approved networking accounts (Swanson, 2010). Again, this seems like a no-brainer, but too many teachers “friend” their students and/or students’ parents on social networking sites they use to communicate with friends and family, and then share information that is inappropriate. Many districts have policies in place prohibiting “friending” of students; in some cases teachers have lost their jobs for posting provocative pictures, pictures of alcohol consumption, or controversial statements in social networking platforms shared with students.
- Be professional at all times. Treat professional social networking as if it was the workplace (NYCDE, 2013, Ambrogi, 2009). Everything you post on your professional networks reflects your professional brand. Be factual, don’t gossip, and always remember that every post you write may be someone’s first impression of you. YouTube is full of videos of employees doing inappropriate things - don’t let that be you!
- Edit yourself (Ambrogi, 2009). Let your personality shine through, but do it in a way that you’re not embarrassed to have your grandmother, daughter, or boss read. Never post workplace complaints online - in the most extreme circumstances, this can even cost you your job by calling your professional judgement into question.
- Delete inappropriate posts and remove name tags from images (Ambrogi, 2009, Lepi, 2013). Read every comment added to your posts. Respectful disagreement is appropriate and can even improve credibility, but delete comments that are detrimental to your professional image.
- Do not share personal information that can easily lead to identity theft - birthdate, social security number, zip code, home town, or telephone number (Lewis, 2013). Combined with your name, any two of those is considered sufficient for identity theft. Even personal information such as pet names can lead to a crime of opportunity, if you use it as a password or password hint.
- Check your privacy settings, and read site privacy policies before posting. (Madden & Smith, 2010). Assume that everything you post is public - even private tweets and Facebook private group posts can show up in a Google search (Ambrogi, 2009).
- Use common sense (Ambrogi, 2009). No matter how many tips you read, write or commit to, there will be situations that aren’t covered. Use good judgment about how to respond to those situations!
