Ask Slashdot: Is an Online Identity Important When Searching For Technical Jobs?

First time accepted submitter quintessentialk writes "I'm looking for a new engineering job. I'm in my early 30s, and have a degree and some experience. I don't have an online presence. Does it matter? Is a record of tweets, blog posts, articles, etc. expected for prospective employees these days? What if one is completely un-googleable (i.e., nothing comes up, good or bad)? Though I haven't been 'trying' to hide, I only rarely use my full name online and don't even have a consistent pseudonym. I don't have a website, and haven't blogged or tweeted. I'm currently in a field which does not publish. Should I start now, or is an first-time tweeter/blogger in 2013 worse than someone with no presence at all?"

Depends on what you are applying for

[stigmato]

If you're a programmer looking for your next gig, having a slew of projects you've developed or worked on show up in Google can definitely help. Having lots of red party cup drunken pictures with your friends on a blog somewhere, however, will definitely hurt you.

The answer is... it depends

[QuietLagoon]

As a hiring manager, my focus is whether or not the applicant is able to do well in the position. I've never really concerned myself with the online presence of the applicant. I look at rummaging around in google to check out an applicant as more or less equivalent to hiring an investigator to do a background check. The fact that googling is easier and cheaper than hiring an investigator does not change the motive for doing so.

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An exception would be if the applicant links to his professional online presence in the CV. Then I would use that as I would any other information on the CV. However the presence on the web does not make the information different than having the same information on the CV.

If I were hiring for a sensitive position where a background check is warranted, then I would do a real background check.

But if no background check is required, why go poking around in someone's private life.

Re:Do you need a clearance?

[atriusofbricia]

If your technical job requires a TS or above clearance...

ABOVE Top Secret?

Yes... that's a thing.

Re:Slightly Off Topic, But A Worse Situation

[characterZer0]

Does the other guy have a website? If so, create your own simple page with your CV, and put a note near the top "Looking for K. Ackle of Loudmouthville, TX? Click here [goatse.cx]."