Chances are high that a recruiter or hiring manager will Google you online before offering you an interview or job. Search insiders tell me that non-celebrity people searches account for more than 10% of Google’s search volume.

Here are five easy things you can do to manage your online reputation.

1. Google Your Name

 
Admit it, we've all Googled our names. Make sure you are logged out of Google so you see standard versus personalized results. Think of the first page of results for your name search as your home page. Studies show the first page of results get 90% of the click-through volume. Now look for anything negative in the next 5-10 pages. If you have a fairly common name and share it with some dubious characters, start using a middle name and initial on your LinkedIn profile, resume and job application.

2. Own Your Name

When companies build an SEO strategy they look to own the first pages of results for their name, you should do the same. Some quick, easy, and free wins include:

• Get your Linkedin profile to show up first by making sure you have a custom URL with your name. In the example, Travis Pearl’s custom Linkedin URL is http://www.linkedin.com/in/travispearl and shows up in the very first result because the URL matches the keyword searched and LinkedIn has high “SEO” authority. Go to LinkedIn and the edit profile section and generate a custom linkedin URL with your name. While you are at it, make sure to include a professional-looking photo on your LinkedIn profile.  The same picture Travis Pearl used in his LinkedIn profile, also shows up in the first set of Google results.

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