Karel Mc Intosh
Contributor

Imagine the scenario. You've applied for the job of your dreams, and your chances seem favourable. You've given the company names of "safe" references - you know, the people who will give glowing reports about you.

Imagine this scenario. You're the company's human resources manager, and you've called the job applicant's references, and have received good reviews, but a light bulb goes off in your head. With all this talk about new media and social networking sites, why not visit Facebook.com - the most popular social networking site these days that dominates the Internet time of people worldwide, including Caribbean people. You type in the person's name, and as luck would have it, their privacy settings are not restricted, so you have a window to their world, one that isn't censored.

Sounds far-fetched? It isn't really.

The fact is, if you have a blog, Myspace page, LinkedIn profile, a Facebook account that you haven't created restricted settings for, or some other social media tool, people can easily find you on the Internet. One click on a Google search engine, and everything comes up, even comments on a blog. I'm always reminded of this when my blog statistics show that someone found me because they typed my name into Google's search engine, or when an associate tells me they Googled me.

Benefits of online networking
So does this mean that job seekers should stay far away from social networking sites? No. These sites have many benefits, apart from their entertainment offerings. You can network with people who have similar interests, join groups that relate to your industry, join job seekers' groups, get access to websites with pertinent information, and make links with possible mentors, as well as peers.

Using the Internet to further your career
The Internet provides you with a wide-reaching marketing tool that can be optimised for free. Here are some ways in which you can promote yourself and build a network.

1. Have a blog. This can help to position you as someone who is knowledgeable in his/ her industry. For persons now making the transition from school to the workplace, it can also be a portfolio of your writing, your concepts, and how you apply theoretical lessons to practical solutions. Additionally, you can list your résumé.
2. Use social networking sites to meet people in your industry. Several social network sites have groups, which you can easily join to meet people with common interests or in similar industries, discuss ideas, and learn techniques that will enhance your professional life.
3. Use search engines to find current literature on industry issues and trends.

Note, however, if you have a blog that is unrelated to your field or that can adversely affect employers' view of you, don't list it on your résumé.

Protecting your personal brand online
Whatever you place on the web will be found. Your boss, prospective employers, customers, colleagues and co-workers can find you online if you place information on public spaces. You can adopt some of these practices to protect your identity, and the image people ultimately form about you.

1. Don't write anything you don't want people to see.
2. If you have a blog, ensure that the topics you write about, and opinions you share are ones you will be comfortable with your present or potential employer reading.
3. When writing comments on a blog, think before you write. Comments show up regularly in search engine results.
4. Don't post unflattering pictures of you on social networks or websites. By all means you can post photographs of you having fun, but be sure that - by their very nature - they can't be used against you.
5. Enable privacy settings on your Facebook or similar accounts. This won't only protect the online image you project; it can also protect you from online stalkers or identity theft.
6. Keep personal, private issues out of the limelight.

Protecting your current position
If you're currently employed, and have a blog which you publish using your true identity, it's important to be careful about your content. For example, don't post information that you came across by virtue of your position - information that would have been unavailable to you otherwise. You also don't want to write information that your employer may perceive as you breaching confidentiality agreements, written or unwritten. It's also advisable to avoid "dissing" the competition, since you never know, they might construe this as a war between your company and themselves.

Always remember that once you're blogging, on Facebook, twittering, and basically creating many channels where people can find you online, they can always make that connection between your personal and professional identities. This doesn't mean that you have to restrict your sense of expression or seem to be a prude. Just be wise about what you place online, because the fact is that it will always be accessible in the recesses of the Internet, even if you deleted it. Do you think that employers should be "minding your business" online? Maybe not, but it's not uncommon for people to Google individuals they want to learn more about. In an era, where many professionals have embraced the online world, the fact is that the Internet is a window to your world.

The author is a Trinidad-based public relations and communications professional. She publishes the blog www.caribbbeanprblog.com. You can contact her at caribbeanprblog@yahoo.com.