“Changed My Name So Employers Can’t Find Me On Facebook”
October 2, 2008 – 8:55 am | by Daryl Tay
Still think you shouldn’t be concerned?
Read more about your online identity part 1 and part 2
Tags: changing name on facebook, drunk pictures on facebook, employers checking you out on facebook, facebook, Gen Y, online identity, party pictures on facebook
5 Responses to ““Changed My Name So Employers Can’t Find Me On Facebook””
By Daphne Maia on Oct 2, 2008 | Reply
well, from my colleagues’ FB profiles, i’d say they are not at all concerned abt this issue.
i have seen (in random order of shocking-ness):
(1) photos of a female colleague making out with (possibly random) guy in club
(2) a lot of drunken-smiles photos
(3) pics of male colleague in gay club
(4) too-sexy-to-be-shown photoshoot pics
(5) blog links to all-too-revealing blogs with emo rants and written accounts of erm, indecent escapades
and most of us have the CEO and some directors on our FBs.
i still watch what goes on my FB, so i dunno. i think it shd be done in moderation. don’t get so paranoid that u remove everything, n don’t post those kinda things which will give people cause to nitpick on u as a person either.
By Ivy on Oct 2, 2008 | Reply
I am actually quite searchable on Google. I take the top 2 spots on Google with my full name, and am at page 4 – 7 (depending which country’s Google) for my first name.
But everything that you find about me is censored – no drunk pictures, no political dialogue, no ranting. Most potential employers (including my current one) have seen my blog/portfolio, and I have been given job offers from most of them.
So, it’s no problem at all – as long as you censor yourself.
By Vincent on Oct 2, 2008 | Reply
If the employer somehow links up the fake name and the real name, wouldn’t the person be in bigger trouble? And let’s be honest. If the person is that socially active, *something* will survive on the archives.
The Internet never forgets.
It might be better to just start displaying “displayable” content.
By Daryl Tay on Oct 3, 2008 | Reply
@Daphne: That’s interesting to know. I wonder if it’ll change when they’re looking for employment? It’s easy to be comfortable when you’re with existing colleagues, but it might be something different when you’re trying to get a new job.
@Ivy: Yeah I think that’s the route quite a few people are going down. (Myself included!). It’s all about maintaining your online presence or, as some like to call it, “digital footprint”.
@Vincent: I think “trouble” is putting too much weight on it, but certainly it would raise an eyebrow if you knew a prospective employee is attempting to hide something.
By Mimi on Dec 29, 2008 | Reply
I’m slightly concerned about the identity tracks and all that I’m leaving on the internet! I use lots of popular sites, including YouTube, Facebook and Wikipedia, all under different aliases. But despite not having anything incredibly salacious, I’m still concerned about everything linking back to me *paranoid* :p I like that the internet gives people a certain amount of anonymity. And it’s understandable why employers etc would want to ‘Facebook’ someone’s name. But I don’t think it’s right. It’s part of someone’s personal life, their own business. Okay, so it’s in the public domain and employers don’t want their reputation tarnished, but it just doesn’t sit easy with me.
Like I have a FB profile, that links to my blog (and vice versa). And reading your posts on employers searching FB (plus receiving a faculty-wide email from my senior lecturer on FB profiles!) has just made me a bit worried. I had another blog linked to my main blog discussing my time as a student nurse, but even though my full name isn’t on FB, I just don’t want any future employers or uni staff putting two and two together!
It’s almost like self-censorship in a way. /long ramble