Minnesota, USA -June 21, 2011 - As funny as it may sound, you may want to consider putting your best face forward for your background check. In the old days, this would simply consist of written records of you and confirmation of past employment. Now, however, the background check is beyond the written records and even Google searches. It now can reach into all of your social networking activity whether it includes Facebook, Twitter, your personal blog, or your other means of communicating. In the light of last week, the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) put its 'approval' stamp on Social Intelligence Corp's massive filings of social activities online, so it is time to get familiar with what will be in your file for the next seven years -talk about bad luck that could come from the shattered mirror of your online image.
For those who are not familiar with Social Intelligence Corp, it is a consumer reporting agency that numerous companies may use and others may start to use since it does an intensive background check on individuals which could reveal helpful information that is not typically found in the regular background check. It weeds through all types of information such as comments, videos, and pictures that could help employers determine if you are a family person, church goer, traveler, and numerous other possibilities that may not be favorable at all.
Even though everyone has the option to contact the Social Intelligence Corp to delete the ugly and embarrassing information on his or her file, it could do little good since the site stores all that information for seven years. As much as it may seem unjust for this information to come into pre-employment screening and monitoring, it may be time to change your online social habits before your seven years turns into an eternity of bad luck.
Obviously you will want to contact this Social Intelligence Corp now, but do not expect it to change anything for you right now. To make the greatest change, there are a few steps you can take after doing this.
Action #1: Delete all the unfavorable postings online
Although this does not take anything out of your current file, it will keep the Social Intelligence Corp from picking up anything again and continuing to store it. Consider getting rid of any racy or controversial pictures, videos, group membership, or posts. Even when it could be a joke, it could be just as damaging.
Action #2: Cut back on the cursing, controversial remarks, and overall unfavorable activities
Obviously you do not want damaging information continuously piling up in your 'social file', so it is time to knock those activities out -even if you continue to act the same in your regular day life. Basically, stop posting pictures of your frequent alcohol consumption -plus drug use - and any other harmful actions like making racial slurs -the list continues but you should know what controversial activities you do.
Action #3: Include better photos, comments, and other postings
I am not encouraging anyone to post comments that do not coincide with what they do not feel or believe. However, I am urging for those to 'look' better. When I say this, I mean to post attractive profile photos that are taken from a good angle with optimal natural lighting-- plus a subtle background color that is not 'busy'. In addition to this, modify the way you would word posts; for instance, switch a comment around to sound more positive rather than negative.
Action #4 Avoid doing the 'unthinkable'
At this moment, you may be tempted to create a pseudo name for your online activities, but do not do it. Eventually the system will be able to detect this and this information will also get compiled into your activities. After all, it is easy to detect an IP address-- we are not actually 'invisible'. I assume that it is better to have negative stored information on your obvious social activities rather than the impression from this 'other' information that could make you seem to be a "liar".
