Online Identity

Recently, I have completed the online identity calculator and have also Google-searched my name to see if any of my personal information is revealed.  Of all of the items that came up from the search, only my old address was revealed on many online phone book websites.  In this age of technology, workers may impede their own employment opportunities because of unprofessional information displayed on various websites accessed through the internet.

When searching my name on Google, the search engine gave me several different websites.  Of the first three pages of websites, twenty of the links did not contain information or details on my personal or business affairs.  One of my old addresses was available by a white pages website and my blog that I have written in my professional writing course was also one of the links.  One people-finder webpage, Spokeo, might have appeared on the search had I not removed myself from it previously.  Many people have their social media and networking profiles pop up on search engines, but I have not included my full name on any of those websites in case an employer were to search my name.  Most of the social networking sites, like Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter, can be edited to not have a person’s full name attached to them.  If one were to remove or edit their name on any of those accounts, the likelihood of those websites being included on the search would greatly diminish.  Public information could include any professional blogs, works of art or literature, or basic information that is usually revealed such as an address.  When I searched for my name, many other people throughout the country and world popped up.  Of those other people, only one person had their name associated with a social networking website.  Because the other Alexander Nitsos’s profile was set to private, no personal information could be revealed by the casual internet browser.  If people were to search for me using a search engine, I would only want any professional-related material to be available.  I am pleased that my blog is on the first page of search results and that there is not anything that would impede my ability to acquire a job. 

Using great care, I have successfully created my social networking and other personal websites without using my full name; therefore, anything unprofessional does not show up when searching myself with a search engine.  According to the online identity calculator, I have a “digitally distinct” online profile, which is described as having a search where my name yields lots of information about me and most, if not all, reinforcesmy unique personal brand. 

Thank you for taking the time to let me explain the importance of protecting oneself on the internet and options that are available to the general public that will keep unprofessional websites from appearing on search engines.