Your HR Guy is a Monster

September 14, 2007 · Filed Under Finding Your Job 

Or I am at least being quoted by Monster:

Recruiters use Internet searches “to avoid major red flags, but it is just another assessment of a person,” says the anonymous blogger known as Your HR Guy. He adds, “My general view on Internet searches is that, for most positions, ignorance is bliss. Most of what is online for a majority of workers is personal, and most workers’ personal stuff [doesn’t play a role at work].”

I believe the whole fear of being Googled has been drastically overstated. I’ve Googled people before because they mentioned a band they were in or they were part of a professional association I’ve never heard of. That sometimes turns up something more interesting but I’ve simply never had the reason to discontinue recruiting someone due to the dirt found online.

There is something out there called Reputation Defender that was mentioned in the article. I can’t even begin to describe the issues it brings up but I think it is fun that you can remove unwanted content for just a little under $30. So if an acquaintance posts a picture of me doing non-stop keg stands last weekend and he calls me “totally weak” for asking him to take it down, I can sic Reputation Defender on him and get it removed?

The funny thing is how adamant they are about not doing searches for Human Resources departments. They’ve probably already licensed the product to a background search firm anyway (if it hasn’t already been developed).

Check out HRM Today for the latest in the HR blogosphere.

Comments

One Response to “Your HR Guy is a Monster”

  1. Toshiko on October 24th, 2007 3:57 pm

    Ha! Found this.

    True story, I just wrote to Rep. Def. because of a poem I wrote about hmm, five to seven years ago. Don’t google my name, I beg of you! It included how much I was in love with an old ex, it was just horrible. What is worse is, I mentioned his name. To my shock, I googled myself today after reading the article and the poem came up! LOL

    I contacted the site asking for it to be removed but I also contacted Rep. Def. to see if they could get it removed just in case LOL. It’s truly awful for a memory like that to hit you out of the blue! LOL

    But no keg stand pictures or anything to worry about, just that poem… that poem. Honestly, I think the poem is worse than a bong picture would be LOL.

    [Reply]

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