Can your web page or blog do more harm than good when searching for a job?

Many employers do background checks. Some may even Google their prospective employee. You’re looking for a job and you’re not hired because of information you wrote on your blog?

In case you have been living under a rock, a blog is a weblog or online journal that is posted on a website. A “blogger” will typically make entries every so often and most blogs have themes.

Human resource manager Jennifer [who asked that her last name not be use] believes that blogs have a possibility of helping employers make decisions about employees.

“We do a background check on applicants. It isn’t unusual for us to check online. If a potential employee was disclosing private client information or displaying behavior unbecoming of what we would like, I can see it being a determinate factor in hiring the person.”

Graduating senior Sandra Alexander doesn’t worry about employers finding her blog, “I don’t see how they could find my blog. I didn’t use my real name. People who do are just asking for trouble”

Sophomore Monica Cervantes agrees, “I never thought of employers looking at my blog. I don’t use my real name so they would not be able to find it. I only see older people use their real names.”

Some students think that employers using blogs as a hiring filter may be unethical.

“I don’t think it’s right for an employer to do that,” said Micheal Defrian, a senior at Hampton University. “My blog is my personal thoughts that have nothing to do with my job. If they hire based on your blog they can fire you based on your blog. That’s not fair.”

Junior July Carr will take employers into consideration when and if she creates a blog.

“I thought about creating a blog because everyone has one, but if employers are reading them then it is something to think about,” Carr said. ”The job market is really competitive. I don’t need to give them a reason not to hire me.”

If you are going to create a blog, don’t include personal information including your name (your friends know who you are), don’t include super sensitive private information from your job (you could get sued), and if your are going to bad mouth your boss online don’t let coworkers know you have a blog (Gossip spreads fast). Happy blogging.