Debates about online reputations are now beginning to enter the employment sphere. More employers are looking at social sites such as FaceBook, LinkedIn, and MySpaceto gauge if potential hires may have some hidden flaws. If you have shared some facts about yourself online that you now regret, or if people have disclosed something you may or may not agree with, then you need to consider defending, explaining, or clearing up your online reputation.

Things to think about:

A CareerBuilder.com surveyrecently found that more employers are using social networking sites to research job candidates -- more than double from the year before.  Industries that specialize in technology and sensitive information are most likely to screen job candidates via social networking sites or online search engines. If you can’t keep a secret online, how can you be trusted with company information?

Top reasons why an employer did not hire some of the potential candidates

• Posted inappropriate photographs or information – 53%
• Posted content about them drinking or using drugs – 44%
• Bad-mouthed previous employer, co-workers or clients – 35%
• Showed poor communication skills – 29%
• Made discriminatory comments – 26%
• Lied about qualifications – 24%
• Shared confidential info from previous employer – 20%

Here are some things that could help turn the tide in cleaning up your online reputation:

• Making most things on your profile only visible to friends.
•  Be aware of what other people write on your wall. Delete your friend’s funny comment about the crazy night out you have had if you’re currently applying for jobs.
• Look at everything people say about you, and what you disclose about yourself, in prudent way.
• If you talk about work don’t give full descriptions, or names, or details that could alert a reader to what or whom you are actually talking about. Your close friends will get it, so you don’t have to be detailed.
• The best advice is not to post or say anything on the web that can cause you harm in the future.
• When sending out your resume or using a job search site, get a new email account. Don’t use the same one that you use on your social network site. That way, when prospective employers search the Websites using the email address from your resume, nothing objectionable will come up.

If all else fails, there are now some new companies assisting people in managing their reputations along with cleaning them up.  Services like reputationdefender.comare popping up. Some say in a few years we may have “bankruptcy reputation” lawyers.   The  “bankrupt reputation” is similar to regular bankruptcy but allows you to clear your reputation for 10 years so that you can start over. I believe more and more companies will start up to help people clean up their reputation, because what you place on the web will stay FOREVER!