Digital Footprint

Type your name into google, what do you see?
Embarrassing photos, you drunk at a nightclub, an event gathering, you on your ex’s arm?
Well this is exactly what everyone else will see including your future employee.
We dress so well for an interview, we triple check our cv’s to make sure there are no spelling mistakes and we research the organisation we are applying for so that we know the ins and outs. But do we ever check the internet? Because you can be sure in the future whoever is interviewing you will when you walk out of that room.
We are the first generation of future workers who not only have a cv and references but an entire databases of private lives there for the world to see.
And for most of us university students our lives are lived on facebook, but that might not be the life we are trying to sell for an employee.

So what about whatever organisation you are working for? Does someone casually google the organisation every morning. Does media monitors send in any hits every day? This blog can be searched through google so what is being written about on here. Are you comfortable with whoever you are shadowing reading this, your fellow employees, the CEO?

I share my full name with an American president and a particularly attractive looking porn star, so although I attract a lot of hits when I search for my name, thankfully there is only one that is for me.

The Australian government has started to issue warnings to teens about this possible issue and links to their information are available here http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/Teens/Tips%20and%20advice/Your%20digital%20footprint.aspx. And another interesting video to watch on your digital dossier/footprint is here http://www.teach42.com/2009/02/19/your-digital-dossier/ .

The internet and theories on internet use has labelled the generation that was born into the digital age as digital natives, and those that have instead learnt how to use the internet and technology during their lifetime as digital immigrants. It is said that once digital natives are in leadership roles the use of technology will transform the way everyone leads their lives.

As budding pr practitioners we have learnt what a powerful sword the internet is, the possibility for instantaneous communication feed about an organisation and its movements has allowed news to reach further corners then was ever imagined. It has also meant that due to the lack of time and lack of resources journalists now have at their disposal that often media releases are hitting news sites without any editing. A huge win for public relations!

However it is important to remember that the internet is a permanent digital library and catalogue of information. Deleting facebook and myspace doesn’t mean you still can’t be found. So I think it is important to be careful what is written and photographed of you then put online- as you never know who will read it in the future.