How to Protect Yourself While Job-Hunting Online

The more people who see your resume the better your chances are of getting an interview, right? Well, yes and no. Traditionally, this is true, especially if you are networking and conducting a strategic search. However, with most job-hunting being conducted online, the risks may not be worth the chances of a result. Why? Well, the number one reason is that it is now very easy for your current employer to conduct a simple search and find out that you are job-hunting, which may result in you being fired.

Just as important, is protecting your personal information from being used for identity theft or annoying spam. There are thousands of job-hunting sites on the Internet with millions of people responding, including sites that have no interest in anything other than obtaining your personal information. Blasting your resume anywhere and everywhere on the Internet may gain you a few legitimate results, but it will definitely expose you personally in a major way.

So how can you conduct a job search and still protect your personal identity and current job? Follow these strategies and tips:

• Be very cautious about posting your resume online, even to popular sites like Monster and Careerbuilder. Always read the privacy policies and choose the most conservative privacy settings before posting to select sites. Never pay or sign up for a resume distribution service. Thoroughly research any recruiters to make sure they are competent in protecting you while searching on your behalf.
• Create a cyber-safe resume with minimal contact information and non-identifying employment histories for your online search. Learn how with our lesson on Protecting Your Identity with a Cyber-Safe Resume.
• Never include personal information, like your address, social security number, or work contact email, in an online resume. Use a private cell phone number and web-based email account for contact information. In addition, do not provide this information to anyone unless you have been given an official offer and are completing paperwork at a physical location. Many cyber-criminals may try to request this information by saying they need it to conduct a background check before interviewing you. Be wary of these types of phishing schemes that target job-hunters.
• Build strong networks online through professional sites or LinkedIn for effective job-hunting. However, you must use them consistently, otherwise a sudden increase in your activity on these sites might be considered suspicious if seen by a colleague or supervisor. See this Job-Hunt.org article on Leveraging LinkedIn for Your Stealth Job Search.
• Search for yourself on Google on a frequent basis to see if any results show your job-hunting activity. See our blog article on how to Google Yourself.
• Do not conduct your job search from work. Not only is it unethical, but your email and phone records may be monitored. If you are worried about missing an email or phone call from a potential employer, than you should obtain a smartphone with Internet access for contact purposes.

For more information, see our Internet Safety and Job Search topics and good luck with your search!