Have you "googled" yourself lately?

With the increasing popularity of social websites, including Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace, employers are using these sites to recruit candidates and to check their profiles. A social site can be a great place to quickly reach out to many "friends" with the news that you are in the job market, or to respond with a lead to someone in that situation. However, there is a risk in sharing too much of your personal life on a site that might also be viewed by professional contacts.

A word of caution - do use the privacy settings that are available to ensure that only your true "friends" have access to your pictures, public comments, and postings that others might tag you with on the site. Check your public profile to make sure that would be comfortable if a potential or current employer saw your information. If you do invite business colleagues to be your "friends", be careful about your language and any negative remarks about business!

LinkedIn is the most popular site for professional networking. While you have the ability to make frequent updates on your status, comment on various discussions, and use the site for professional development, you have control over the comments associated with your profile.

The best test is to "google" your name, see if any negative information appears that could be seen by the public. A first impression is a lasting one.