Social networking can be easy and fun, but when information gets taken out of context, the results can be dastardly. To determine how your colleagues or potential employers view you online, take the time to do a quick Google search. What pops up can either make or break your online reputation.

"Treat Google like your résumé," Michael Fertick, founder of ReputationDefender.com, suggests at Forbes. One of the first steps in revamping your online presence is developing a professional Web site or blog. By presenting and promoting the professional aspects you value, you can begin to displace Google hits with information you control. Like what you first see? Then let a Web site or blog continue the good PR.

Establishing a new online presence requires a set purpose and a specific plan. Determine if you are using the Internet to displace bad press, promote a new side of you, find a job in your current industry or switch career paths. Once a clear goal is in place, make sure every aspect of your Web site works to pitch your product: you.

Everything about your personal Web site should show a positive side of you — including your URL. "Hosting your Web site or blog with your own domain name is a great way to build a solid online reputation... . Now is the time to take action on owning your own name. Also consider ... a domain name that describes your area of expertise," according to MBACareers.com.

Be careful not to get too carried away. Personal Web sites are a great way to build a professional reputation, but should steer clear of controversial or debatable declarations: words matter. "Unless you're looking for controversy what you say may cause you problems in the future," Masters in Criminal Justice warns.

Not all Web pages are created equal. Although creating a personal Web site can help recreate your image by letting you promote a specific side of yourself, other sites, like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, rank high in Internet searches and can work to your advantage.

"Facebook and LinkedIn are social networks that allow you to build a social network online," according to Business to Business magazine. Yet among social networking sites, some tend to carry more weight in the professional world. "LinkedIn especially sends a positive message to potential employers because it is widely viewed as a highly professional network," a separate Forbes article says.

Already up and running on social-networking sites? Take a minute to review your profile and privacy settings. Just as we don't tend to gush about every detail of our working lives to our friends, it's equally important to keep our social lives away from the workplace. Setting certain features, like personal pictures and posts, to private can keep prospective employers from jumping to hasty conclusions. Privacy settings are there for a reason — use them.

Likewise, it can work to your advantage to promote certain professional qualities on these sites. Listing your education and last place of employment may pique a company's interest and can reiterate a few basics from your résumé. No matter the number or size of social-networking profiles you establish, it's important to keep them up to date and honest.

Take the time to track your overall presence online. "Don't get lazy about monitoring your reputation. If necessary, perform monthly checks to see if there's any information about you that could be potentially harmful," Masters in Criminal Justice suggests. Staying proactive and checking-up on what's being said online puts you in a better position to do damage control if needed.

The bottom line: let the Internet work for you, not against you. By carefully using the internet to your advantage you can gain control over what prospective employers see — and how they view you — well beyond the interview.

Resources

100 Tips, Tools and Resources to Protect Your Online Reputation
Masters in Criminal Justice, Feb. 11, 2009

Managing Your Online Identity
by Anna Vander Broek
Forbes, June 2, 2009

How to Protect Your Online Reputation
by Amanda Berlin
Forbes, July 1, 2009

Protecting Your Reputation Online
by Brian Blomgren
Business to Business Magazine, July 17, 2009

How to Build Your Online Reputation
MBACareers.com (Career Exposure Network), June 2008