Did they google me?

marge · Jul 6, 2005

...am I just paranoid?

Ok, let me explain: I have been job hunting and recently sent a resume to a job in another state (to a college) Anyways, I have a little blog, nothing major, but for family and friends. I put a stat/counter on the blog just out of curiosity of who actually reads it. Well...just yesterday I got a hit on the blog from this college I applied to! (I am able to see where the hits are from, not who or anything...) It could be coincidence but gosh a big one.
I have never had a hit from them before, don't get that many hits. My name (real name)is fairly common but I know when you google it my blog comes up pretty high on the list.

Do ya think they looked me up? Is this common at job searches now, to google the person?

valanhb · Jul 6, 2005

It wouldn't surprise me if they did. It's cheaper than a full background search to find anything glaring to narrow down the candidates.

yasmine · Jul 6, 2005

I wouldnt put it past employers to google someone. These days they check your credit history and run backgrounds...its crazy how easy it is to find info out about people with the internet!

catsknowme · Jul 6, 2005

What an eye-opener!! It's scary all the info that entities can collect these days. Sometimes I'm tempted to not use my market discount-cards & ATM card,just so I have some privacy....CREEPY! I didn't realize employers will do that...

marge · Jul 6, 2005

I'm still a little in shock cause really I didn't think at the resume application level they looked at you so closely. I can even see doing that if you are a finalist. Oh well, I didn't put anything odd on my blog, it's pretty conservative but still it's something for "off work" times so I don't want an employer to read it.

But you know I refuse to get rid of my blog,it's somethingthat a few friends of mine and I enjoy and I don't want to lose that connection.

kellyyfaber · Jul 6, 2005

Marge, I wouldn't be surprised if they did google you. This is the age of NO PRIVACY.

journey · Jul 6, 2005

wow, that's wierd. If I had a blog i would NOT want my work to see it. That's the point of a blog! Its an online journal.....I guess that's just what we have to expect now with the internet. No privacy......
Are you sure you want to work for a company that would do such an odd search on you?

marge · Jul 6, 2005

Originally Posted by journey

wow, that's wierd. If I had a blog i would NOT want my work to see it. That's the point of a blog! Its an online journal.....I guess that's just what we have to expect now with the internet. No privacy......
Are you sure you want to work for a company that would do such an odd search on you?

Well if they rule me out because of it I agree, I wouldn't want them.

The thing is I can see if I advertised the blog but I don't.

journey · Jul 6, 2005

Originally Posted by Marge

Well if they rule me out because of it I agree, I wouldn't want them.

The thing is I can see if I advertised the blog but I don't.

Yeah, its not like you put the address on the bottom of your resume!
Instead of "references upon request" we might have to start putting "blog URL on request"

marge · Jul 6, 2005

Originally Posted by journey

Yeah, its not like you put the address on the bottom of your resume!
Instead of "references upon request" we might have to start putting "blog URL on request"

Exactly! I dont'. IN fact for job huntingI use a yahoo address exclusively set up for job hunts and not my personal account name that is my blog name too!

misscharlotte · Jul 6, 2005

Personally, I don't know why people want to keep a personal (diary-like) online journal for the entire world to see..especially when the person gives complete, personal information almost down to the social security number. To me, this is a choice of giving up privacy and not someone trying to take it away from them. Is it fair that an employer uses it to evaluate a potential employee's ability to perform a job? On one hand, I say "No. It's not fair". On the other hand, I say "if you don't want the world to know your personal business, then don't make it public and available for the world to see."

ugaimes · Jul 6, 2005

Originally Posted by Kellyyfaber

Marge, I wouldn't be surprised if they did google you. This is the age of NO PRIVACY.

This may be the college's cheapo version of a background check (which many employers conduct).

marge · Jul 6, 2005

Originally Posted by MissCharlotte

Personally, I don't know why people want to keep a personal (diary-like) online journal for the entire world to see..especially when the person gives complete, personal information almost down to the social security number. To me, this is a choice of giving up privacy and not someone trying to take it away from them. Is it fair that an employer uses it to evaluate a potential employee's ability to perform a job? On one hand, I say "No. It's not fair". On the other hand, I say "if you don't want the world to know your personal business, then don't make it public and available for the world to see."

On one end I agree, although mine does not show any personal info, just some thoughts that aren't journal like so much as world events or broad strokes on personal events. On theother, I have never thought I was important enough, or going for the type of jobs to worry about it. Plus I am a writer by hobby so my work is "out there" so to speak.

journey · Jul 6, 2005

Originally Posted by MissCharlotte

Personally, I don't know why people want to keep a personal (diary-like) online journal for the entire world to see..especially when the person gives complete, personal information almost down to the social security number. To me, this is a choice of giving up privacy and not someone trying to take it away from them. Is it fair that an employer uses it to evaluate a potential employee's ability to perform a job? On one hand, I say "No. It's not fair". On the other hand, I say "if you don't want the world to know your personal business, then don't make it public and available for the world to see."

I see your point, but there's sort of a moral, ethical part to it to. For example, I work in a hospital where I can see people's reports. Now, I can access my friends, or look up people I know, etc., but I don't because it's none of my business. So, my point is, just because you have access doesn't mean you should look.

arlyn · Jul 6, 2005

I don't doubt you were googled.
I always blog under pseudonymns anymore for just that reason.

marge · Jul 6, 2005

Originally Posted by Arlyn

I don't doubt you were googled.
I always blog under pseudonymns anymore for just that reason.

You know it's funny, I don't know whether or not to feel flattered or what? I didn't expect to be a finalist for this job.

Anyways< i realize I have been in this niche for a long time, same job etc so didn't think in terms of my public profile.

I really can't just delete my blog just yet. I have peopleI keep in touch with via that blog!

annabelle33 · Jul 6, 2005

when I got my job they looked on the assessment office site at pictures and values of my house before I got hired. I thought that was weird. Of course i can't prove it, but my house was saved on my computer when I first started.

gailc · Jul 6, 2005

I work for a fortune 10 company and I know that they do background checks, most likely credit bureau pull and bond us all when we are hired due to job descriptions. Perhaps "googling" names is something they do know as part of the search. For all we know employers check court websites to see if a person has a arrest record!!

Good luck on the job search.

I personally don't know much about blogs and as long as ther isn't anything to personal I really wouldn't worry. Maybe someone was checking your writing skills????????

marge · Jul 6, 2005

Originally Posted by GailC

I work for a fortune 10 company and I know that they do background checks, most likely credit bureau pull and bond us all when we are hired due to job descriptions. Perhaps "googling" names is something they do know as part of the search. For all we know employers check court websites to see if a person has a arrest record!!

Good luck on the job search.

I personally don't know much about blogs and as long as ther isn't anything to personal I really wouldn't worry. Maybe someone was checking your writing skills????????

Yeah I know, it's likely not a big item since I am not doing any covert stuff, but it feels weird.

jennyr · Jul 6, 2005

I was really surprised yesterday by my bank when they called to double check something I asked htem to do. For security they asked me some weird questions unlike anything I had ever told them. Then when it was all OK the guy told me he had checked my personal web site to get an idea of what to ask me! I know it is all out there, but I never expected the bank to look it up!

Did they google me?

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