More than 50% of employers have found content online that made them decide not to hire a candidate, according to a 2018 CareerBuilder Survey. At the same time, 47% of employers surveyed say that if they can’t find anything about an applicant online, they are less likely to invite that candidate in for an interview.* The implication is that as a CEO, COO, CDO, CFO, CMO, CIO, CTO, or other CxO executive, your digital footprint can have a massive influence on your CxO job search.

Everything you do online leaves an impression. Every action you take, whether sending an email, messaging a friend, posting on social media, or just reading a blog article, leaves behind a trail of data. This is your digital footprint. As implied above, potential employers can go ahead and look you up online without your consent, and what they find can impact their hiring decision. When managing your CxO job search, you can proactively manage your digital footprint yourself.

How to Improve Your Online Reputation for Your CxO Job Search

• Employ online best practices. Maintaining your digital privacy begins with risk mitigation; use different passwords for every website, keep an eye out for email scams, and control your cookies by taking as much control over what information websites are allowed to collect from you as you can.
• Use 3 email addresses: personal, professional, and spam. Creating a division between your personal and professional online personas can help you tailor your activity to specific circles, allowing you to maintain a different level of professional interaction. A spam or throwaway email address is perfect for websites that you never want to hear from again but say they require an email address.
• Conduct a broad internet search. Search your name on Google to check the top hits, images, and videos for content. If you want to go deeper and find false information, negative news stories, fake accounts, or misleading associations, consider undertaking a complete online audit.
• Unsubscribe or delete accounts you no longer use. Since the internet has been around, your personal and professional interests and goals have probably changed. Deleting accounts that you don’t use regularly or are now irrelevant can help you in your CxO job search by helping your relevant pages be found first and also lowering your risk of being involved in a data breach.
• Build your positive digital image. Executives in a job search can stay active on platforms and accounts that enhance their professional brand, such as LinkedIn and Twitter. You can even claim a domain name with your name and create a search engine-optimized professional website to put you at the top of the search.

To find out how we can help you perfect your LinkedIn profile and professional website, book a complimentary and confidential call with us here.

* More Than Half of Employers Have Found Content on Social Media That Caused Them NOT to Hire a Candidate, According to Recent CareerBuilder Survey, CareerBuilder