More and more people like to research information on political men or famous people but have you ever try to write your name and first name on Google to see what can be found on you?
How can a picture of a too much drinking party, done 5 years ago, that you may have forgotten, can be found by a recruiter?
Internet is everywhere and everybody can have a look on your E-reputation! This phenomenon is so huge that even a job has been created: we may become E-reputation consultant!
E-reputation corresponds to the image web surfers have on a brand or a person, according to what they can find on the internet, for example on forums or social networks.
Firms care about their E-reputation, it enables them to explain the identity of their brand, to have a contact with their consumers but also to have an idea of their brand position compared to their competitors. If Mr. X will write a comment on Y’s brand, this comment is considered as a part of Y’s brand e-reputation. To cancel things that have been said on a brand isn’t possible, firms can’t control it.
Although E-reputation can have a positive impact, for example, a firm can let it known on forums as defender of the environment, we may discover on the internet that some consumers are blaming the brand or that employees are working under bad conditions.
Moreover, E-reputation enables recruiters to do researches on internet regarding private life of their possible futures employees. So, thus they can have an idea on them and find information that may change the point of view they had before. Generally they go on the social network Facebook to find such information as Facebook is used by more than 450 million of people.
It’s an American site created by Mark Zuckerberg, opened to the entire world, while only for Harvard’s students until 2006. Facebook is blocked by some countries such as China, Vietnam, Iran, and Afghanistan but also by some firms to avoid their employees to go on Facebook... at work! Some people are really addicted to Facebook! So much that it became the first consulted site in the world after the search engine Google.
In theory, each person that has a Facebook profile can add a picture and private information that only who she wants can see. The visibility is controlled if we adjust the confidentiality’s parameters but can we really be sure on this? I think that better be careful on what can be found on us on the internet, and on what we click “I like” on Facebook, it could prevent us from finding the perfect job. This said, no-one can prevent us from doing the same with our boss! The real question is: are we able to make the distinction between rumors and reality?
Coralie Pastorello
To make the distinction between rumour and reality is quite hard, especially when your Facebook account has been pirated! How many teenagers and adults have complained about their impersonation, getting a bad reputation when their usurper spread vulgar pictures and comments?
ReplyDeleteRegarding to me, there is nothing on the web about me, as I closed my Facebook account many years ago! I only hope not to be mistaken for my homonyms...
MAILHES Marie
As far as i am concerned, having a Facebook account is nice to keep in touch with friends, exchanging news or pictures. But as you said, when it is used by recruiters, it can represent a real threat if some of your pictures or comments are not decent. And of course if someone hacks your Facebook account.
ReplyDeleteHowever being found by a potential employer on the Internet can also show to this person some of your interests linked to the job, or some of your hobbies which reveals usefull skills, especially concerning the fields of marketing and communication or event management. I would say that having a reasonable "e-social life" can sometimes be seen as an asset.
Raphaëlle PERIE
As Raphaëlle said, having a Facebook account is useful to chat with your friends or to organize major events for example. But let’s be honest, Facebook is first of all a way to keep an eye on your friends', boyfriend’s or even “sworn enemy’s” life. Nowadays, most of people have Facebook and have more than one hundred friends they don’t even talk with, do you? I don’t. They usually just go on their profile and act like a “Peeping Tom”. Of course this is not so awful, I’m exaggerating the all thing. My point is: if we go and see other profiles ourselves, why a recruiter won’t? Curiosity is a human fault, isn’t it?
ReplyDeleteLaura BALP
Nowadays, I think cyber-reputation has surpassed the former reputation.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing I do if I want to buy a substantial product, like a laptop, is go on the internet and look for consumer opinion. Thanks to forums, people can write their point of view about the product: both the good and the bad points. The same applies with brands, people, companies…
Following your article, I decided to clear up my e-reputation, deleting my personal Facebook pictures or information.
Margaux
From my point of you, a minimum of common sense could save you from sticky situations. Nowadays, it is well known that most of the information you put on the internet can be seen by anyone, so you just have to be careful.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago, people were much less concerned about their e-reputation, given that they didn't realize that their pictures and comments could be used against them, for example for a recruitment.
At least, Facebook, in opposition to the blogs such as "Skyblog", has the advantage to enable its users to set the parameters of their profile account, so that they can control their image.
Camille
Curiosity is a human fault, it’s sure, and I think we all tend to gossip sometimes, but there is a limit not to cross before affecting the private life. According to me, when recruiters decide to search information on their employees they go too far. Everyone has a life after work and it’s necessary to make the distinction between being absolutely rigorous and concentrate at work and being free to do what you want when you’re not.
ReplyDeleteBe careful Marie, as Raphaëlle said, if it’s an asset to have a reasonable e-social life, I read it’s an inconvenient not to have one at all, especially when we are not yet in the labor world.
Coralie Pastorello