Could your online activity be costing you a job? Learn how to manage your online identity!

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According to a New York Times article entitled "The Web Means the End of Forgetting," a Microsoft study found that "75 percent of U.S. recruiters and human-resource professionals report that their companies require them to do online research about candidates, and many use a range of sites when scrutinizing applicants — including search engines, social-networking sites, photo- and video-sharing sites, personal Web sites and blogs, Twitter and online-gaming sites. Seventy percent of U.S. recruiters report that they have rejected candidates because of information found online, like photos and discussion-board conversations and membership in controversial groups."  If you are even considering applying for a new job, now is the time to ensure that your online presence only shows you in the most positive light!

Here is a summary of tips from ReputationDefender.com, to help you discover what information is linked to you on the web but also ways to manage any negative information/activity that might scare off a potential employer.

• Edit the privacy settings for all your social network accounts to limit the information that others can view about you.
• Google yourself to find out what, if any, negative content might exist about you on the web.
• Edit or delete any poorly written, inappropriate, or defamatory blog posts, forum comments that you have made - especially if they are about a former employer!
• If there are photos of you doing anything that an employer might find questionable on Facebook or Flickr, untag yourself.
• If it's not possible to remove the embrassing content on any website on your own, try requesting that the person that posted the content remove it.
• In extreme cases, you may need to hire a repuation management firm to manage your online reputation.
• In the event that someone with a similar name has questionable content on the web, be sure to explain to potential employers at the beginning of the interview process - or even in your cover letter.
• There is a chance that you may not be able to avoid being linked to negative content on the web so proactively maintaining your personal brand on the web by writing a blog showcasing your expertise or by posting about topics and news related to your profession on Twitter is great way to help counteract any negative content that may be posted about you.