Protecting Your Image

As you begin crafting your professional image, it's important to recognize that pieces of your old reality are still out there. In the age of the Internet, you can never be fully free of your past.

Rule #1: Pictures, videos, letters, email can all appear at any time. Avoid being in truly compromising positions to begin with. Back in the 80's and 90's, students who knew they were going into politics were always advised to stay away from illegal drugs. Now with the ubiquitous nature of cell phones with cameras and video, I would take it a step further. Always assume that everything you are doing is being filmed. Especially if it's really sleazy or ridiculous. College is a great time to let loose, but try to think more than a hangover away about the consequences.

Rule #2: If you haven't already done so, now is the time to put your name in a search engine and see what comes up. Did an ex-girlfriend write a diatribe about your cheating ways? Did a well-intentioned sorority friend put your shirtless picture up as "hottie of the month?" Is your social networking information up for all the world to see? if it's too late to follow Rule #1, contact friends and ask them to take down photos and mentions of you so as to clean up your search engine hits.

Rule #3: Pay attention to your credit. Credit isn't just about buying a new car or applying for a new credit card. Credit is a part of your professional image. Many organizations will do a credit check before hiring to ensure that you are not in any type of financial jeopardy that could cause you to do things that might adversely affect the organization. Heavy credit card debt, unpaid bills, or no credit at all can cost you a job.

Rule #4: Stay away from illegal drugs. Many of the best jobs will require you jump through one final hoop prior to employment: a drug test. A hair folicle test can check for drugs as far back as 90 days. Just being around marijuana prior to a urine test could bring a positive result, so you may want to ask your Harold and Kumar worshipping roommate to ease up until you get a gig.

Rule #5: Set up a professional networking page to share. Site like LinkedIn can help you put a resume, work history, and recommendations online as well as network with other professionals in your field. When your name comes up in a search engine, your professional website can be front and center, and you can send the link to your contacts when you tell them you are looking for a job.

You can only control what is out in the world to a certain degree. But the more you scrub your image clean, the easier it will be to create a new one.