Every single piece of online activity that a person participates in leaves behind a very permanent data trail. This includes every photo that a person may post online, every email that they send, and every search they complete. This is known as a digital footprint. A digital footprint is both traceable and informative. It can allow other people - especially employers - to construct a comprehensive profile of the behaviours, characteristics, and views of a graduate. As the internet is so rich in information nowadays, and young people are becoming more and more entwined in online activity, it is not unheard of for graduate employers to seek out information about potential employees online. As a result, your online presence is often the first impression you make to the employer. This article will provide advice on how to clear up a digital footprint so that it does not impair your ability to attain a position. 

Why is a Digital Footprint Important?

A digital footprint is important as it is everlasting. It can follow you around for your entire career. You should therefore be aware of what information about you is available online. Employers may find certain information relevant in determining whether a graduate is a suitable candidate for a role. For example, online activity that may be unprofessional or may have the capacity to reflect poorly on the reputation of the company will significantly discredit a graduate’s likelihood of attaining a position. You should be aware of what information about you is out on the internet for anyone to see. This can include any photos, posts, or comments that you have made. 

How to Clean Up A Digital Footprint?

While it is impossible to entirely remove online activity once it has been generated, you can take action to reduce your digital footprint and the liability of your online activity. Here are some steps that you can follow to achieve this:

Step 1: Google Yourself

You may feel uncertain and apprehensive at the thought of what information might be easily accessible online about you. This is particularly relevant in this digital age where more and more graduates have had an online presence in some capacity for most of their lives. By googling your full name, you can determine what information a potential employer is likely to see. For most employers, they are unlikely to dig deeper than a simple google search. While high-profile employers in industries such as public service, education, banking, law, and finance may conduct a wider background search on potential employees, other companies are unlikely to have the tech savviness to surpass a google search. A google search will inform you of any photos, articles, posts, or links that directly relate or mention you. If you are unhappy about some information that you find, you can take steps to have it removed from public view. For example, you can change the privacy settings on your social media accounts so that photos are not visible to the public. You can also choose to set up a Google Alert for your name. This means that any time your name appears online you will be notified. 

Step 2: Privacy Settings

Young people enjoy sharing information about their lives online. This can include photos about their travels and other adventures or achievements. While this is a great way to stay connected with family and friends, this information can also be easily accessible for strangers to view. You can check your privacy settings on your social media accounts to see who is able to view your activity. If you are entering the job market for the first time, it may be a good idea to change your settings from a public view to a private account. This will allow you to protect your privacy and prevent aspects of your online activity from influencing an employer’s decision to employ you.

Step 3: Curate Online Presence

 For some graduates, their online presence is an important aspect of their ability to seek employment. This is particularly the case for freelancers, such as photographers, writers, artists, programmers, graphic designers, financial advisors, and accountants. Online activity is also important for small business owners. In such a situation, it may be undesirable to have privacy settings that restrict the public from viewing social media profiles. If this is the case, then your online presence should be curated so that it reflects positively upon you. This means that it portrays you as a professional. This will make it more likely for you to secure employment from your social media accounts. An unprofessional online presence will deter potential employers from seeking out your work.

Step 4: Be Cautious

It is important that you think twice about what you post. Apply caution to what you post, retweet, share, or even like. You may find that your online activity may reflect attitudes, beliefs, or views that are inconsistent with the values, mission, or vision of a company that you are seeking employment at. If the employer becomes aware of this inconsistency through an investigation of your digital footprint, they are unlikely to offer you employment. This is because they may be left with the impression that you will be a poor addition to the workplace and your values may not align with the culture of the company. 

Step 5: Be Positive

Ensure that your online presence reflects positivity. This means in both the things that you post and share, and the views that you express. Overtly negative views about different groups, people, or organisations may make you come across as a poor team player or a person with a negative personality. Employers are not only looking for employees that have the necessary skills to fulfil the obligations of a role, but also employees that can bring a positive attitude to the workplace. 

Step 6: Deactivate

We all have signed up for many online services without a second thought. We may even forget that we have accounts or subscriptions with certain services. When entering the workforce, it is a good idea to seek out inactive accounts that you may have and deactivate your profiles. This will mean that your account will no longer be visible to other people, thus allowing you to clear up your online presence.