5 Google Results That Could Cost You the Job

Gone are the days when what an employer knew about you came from your resume and references. Your history, both professional and personal, is now available at the click of a button. And if you don’t monitor your online reputation, you may be at risk of losing a job based on what shows up on Google. This goes for potential franchisees, as well.

A study commissioned by Microsoft found that 78 percent of recruiting and human resource personnel use search engines to evaluate job applicants, and 63 percent visit social networking sites as a part of the screening process. The same study found that 70 percent of hiring officials rejected candidates based on information they found online.

If you’re not monitoring your online reputation, you may be harming your future career.

“Employers are aware that their employees are a reflection of their company—even when they’re not working—so how a person presents him or herself online could be also be seen as a reflection of the company’s brand or values,” said Mary Lorenz, Corporate Communications Manager at CareerBuilder. “If a candidate is posting provocative, controversial or inappropriate content online, that level of unprofessionalism could reflect poorly on the company for which he or she works.”

Here are five Google results that could ruin your chances of getting the job.

Unprofessionalism Anything that sheds an unprofessional light on a candidate can leave a bad taste in franchisors’ mouths. This includes inappropriate or provocative photographs, evidence of excessive alcohol or drug use, and discriminatory comments related to race, gender, religion or anything negative that can be attributed to the candidate.

Evidence of past criminal behavior If you’ve found yourself on the wrong side of the law, there is a chance your past criminal behavior including mugshots, legal filings and other types of public records that can end up as a search result. If you were never charged for a crime, you can reach out and ask for the result to be amended, or you can try to hire a company to mitigate the damage.

False qualifications According to a study from The Society of Human Resource Managers, 53 percent of resumes contain falsifications. Not only does this call into question a candidate’s actual skills and experience, but also his or her trustworthiness and credibility. If an employer can’t trust you before they hire you, there is a slim chance they will risk giving up inside information to someone who is a proven wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Bad mouthing former employers The company you’re currently applying with cares about what you have said about former employers. Don’t let your feelings about a past job harm your future employment prospects. When you post negative comments about former employers or colleagues, it could be a red flag to franchisors.

Bad reviews It’s not only what you say online that can affect your chances of landing the job - the reviews of others can also impact how a company sees you as a candidate. With services like Yelp, it’s easier than ever for people to write negatively about you and your company—whether it’s true or false. Keep an eye on what people are saying.

If you’re not sure what to do to help your online presence, try setting us a Google alert for your name, and searching for what may be out there yourself. Also, try adjusting your privacy settings to make sure only certain people can find you. Lorenz also suggests maintaining a separate personal (private) and professional (public) profiles to keep business and pleasure separate.

“A good rule of thumb is not to post anything online you wouldn’t want your grandmother to see—chances are, you wouldn’t want potential employers to see it either,” said Lorenz.