Google

When I Googled my name I was not surprised at the results. The only sites that popped up were Facebook, Twitter (not mine), and Pinterest.Most of the images that came up were Facebook pictures and Pinterest posts that I have made, so that wasn't very surprising.  I thought the Twitter one was funny because the person that showed up was a girl with my name who's username was HaleighDP with five posts total. I think I have around a couple thousand posts and my username is haleighpurvis. So, I was confused as to why her Twitter would pop up before mine since the name matches exactly and I use my account much more often. Then I started to think about it and I realized that my Twitter is private. Maybe private accounts don't show up on Google. While I'm on the subject, privacy is something that I would definitely look into when using online sites. You may not get the most followers or the most likes, but at least you don't have people looking at your information that shouldn't be. It is a good safety precaution and also good for applying for jobs. Employers will be able to see that you have a site, but only the content that you choose for them to see. I thankfully didn't find anything bad, not that I expected to. It's good to know what comes up when I Google myself because now I can be even more careful about what I put on those specific sites.


I think that having an online presence is important when living in the 21st century because it is so prevalent in todays society, that you are almost "out of the loop" if you aren't online. Especially since most jobs nowadays require computer competency, being online is a way to show that you are knowledgeable and prepared to assist with any online work necessary for that particular position.  It is also a great way to know what is going on in the world and can also be used as an outlet to express your feelings and beliefs publicly. When doing this, keep in mind that anyone can view what you post, so remain respectful of others when posting online.

Whats more important than having an online presence, is having a positive online presence. Employers today use Google, Facebook, and other online sites and search engines to find out more about you. If you have a poor online presence and have bad pictures or inappropriate posts, an employer will be turned off and you may not have a very good chance of getting that job. If you have a positive online presence, however, employers will look at you as responsible at work and outside of work as well. A lot can be said about a person just by Googleing their name and seeing what pops up. It can either make or break a job opportunity. In conclusion, it is really important that people aren't being ignorant on the internet, because once its on there, it will be there forever.