Reputation

Reputation

Digital communications are “sticky.” Anything communicated through digital media remains accessible indefinitely, which is great news when you have . . . great news. Accomplishments are easy to share, easy to track, and kids and teens can find forums for positive require hiring personnel to do online searches of job candidates.

• 85% recruiters and HR professionals say that a positive online reputation influences their hiring decisions at least to some extent.[1]

Adults and teens need to be proactive in developing a positive online presence. As parents and mentors, we want to help our youth build an online reputation that is an asset rather than a liability.

Here’s a quick outline of what media can do for your child’s reputation, as well as a description of how each action can support positive growth or create risk.

Document Accomplishments

This can support positive growth by . . . providing a way to share and celebrate successes, like finishing a race, acting in a play, or publishing an article in the school paper. It can also document a pattern of success that will follow them into future academic and professional opportunities and open doors among others with similar interests.

This can put users at risk by . . . making information accessible online that might compromise your security or that you don’t want others to see. Help teens limit who can view profiles and blogs. Review facebook privacy setting here (in ACCOUNT—> PRIVACY SETTINGS). Click through each item to confirm that “friends only” may view photos, etc. Check each feature and consider disabling all Facebook apps. These add-on features in Facebook, give the app creator permission to have some of your personal information.

Foster Self Expression

This can support positive growth by . . . providing a place where they feel heard and acknowledged, with the freedom of distance inherent in mediated communication. That is, youth may be more likely to express themselves openly when there is low risk of in-person challenges.

This can put users at risk by. . .allowing youth to feel anonymous, enabling them to say and do things they wouldn’t otherwise say or do. Given that youth already lack judgment due to an unfinished frontal lobe, taking away another layer of safety could increase their risk of posting something they don’t foresee as harmful.

Have a Conversation

Here are a few conversation starters for talking about online reputation with your students:

• Do you think your online reputation—right now—would be an asset or a liability in a job interview?
• What comes up when you google your name? (Don’t forget to search for images, video, and news.)
• Will your facebook profile, blog, online photos help you get into college?
• What can you post that will build a positive reputation for yourself? (Recital video, academic accomplishments, pictures from a school play, a persuasive essay. Others?)

Video: Here are the real-life stories of two college freshmen and how their online reputation affected their opportunities: Project PRO video for einteractions that speak to their awesomeness.

But, these same features can pose a problem when something online could damage your reputation. Positive online reputations matter:

1. 70% of recruiters and HR professionals in the U.S. said they have rejected candidates based on information they found online. However, only seven (7%) percent of surveyed consumers thought their online information affects the job search.
2. 75 % of companies in the United States ducators

RELATED ISSUES

The following articles give further information on topics related to Online Reputation Management.

Cheating & Technology
Copyright Law Online: Protection and Violation
Cyberbullying
Cyberethics: Digital Citizenship 101
Dating Violence: Using Technology to Prevent & Detect
Digital Reputation
Downloading Music/Videos Legally
High-Risk Sexual Activity: Using Technology to Prevent & Detect
Mobile Phones
Pornography
Sexting
Sexual Violence: Using Technology to Prevent & Detect
Social networking
Youth Violence: Using Technology to Prevent and Detect
Cybersafety: Digital Citizenship 101

RESOURCES AND LINKS

* From our friends at Reputation.com: Five Online Reputation Management Tips for Students

WORKS CITED

1. Johnston, Stuart J.”Microsoft Survey: Online ‘Reputation’ Counts.” 27 January 2010. Retrieved fromhttp://www.internetnews.com/webcontent/article.php/3861241/Microsoft-Survey-Online-Reputation-Counts.htm