The most important thing now a days is your image online. I am not talking about big companies who hire people to do that. I am talking about normal, average human beings and their presence on the web. Keep in mind that more than 70% of employers now search on Google for you when you apply for a job. A few things to keep in mind:
1) No cursing - try to keep the curse words at a minimum. It does not matter if your profile is private, your comments and your photos may or may not be. If you said it, someone will find it. Most people don't respond well to bad words.
2) Watch those pics - You might think it is cute to share that picture of you at that party with all those hotties, think of what a prospect or a future employer might think. Your life can still be private if you don't share all your details. That also goes for your friends. If they post bad pictures of you on the web, ask them to take them down. If they don't, you can always report the image.
3) Join the right clubs - your life and your choices are yours to make. If you work for yourself, keep in mind the kinds of clients that you want to have. If you work for someone else, you might want to keep your job. There are plenty of clubs you can join privately, the forums and fan pages you choose in network sites are there for all to see. If it would embarrass you to show your grandma, then don't join.
4) Always associate with the right people - I have tons of personal friends and family on Facebook. There are a couple of people that are a little strange, most of my friends are great. Some of my fan pages are a little silly, and that is fine. I am open minded, love to learn and love people. Some companies might not understand that. Keep that in mind. Also, remember that who you associate with will determine what you do in life. Pick good friends and be loyal to them, whether you have 50 or 500.
5) Don't impress - stop picking people in the hopes of making an impression. Pick those people that make you happy. I understand that this piece of advice might seem contradictory so read the whole statement. What I mean by this is that you should pick those things that interest you and your industry. Don't pick the governor or the president you think your prospects want you to pick. Unless you are a political commentator, you really don't need to be friends with Obama and Sarah Palin. Select those that you believe in. It makes you authentic. Not everyone is going to agree with your selection and that is fine. A good boss understands that he is not going to love all your choices.
I hope that you take care of your image online and get a good job in a place that respects your choices and has faith in your experience. Your online image is no different from your personal one. Keep it clean and good and the right job will find you.
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