subject: How Do I Know If I Need Reputation Management? [print this page] So you've heard about search engine reputation management and how it works, but how do you know if you are a good candidate or if reputation management would benefit you?
First, assess your current position in the job market. Ask yourself some questions. Are you in a secure but discreet job? Are you looking for a new job? Are you trying to rise in prominence? Are you already successful and a prominent figure? Does your field depend upon your reputation?
Keep your answers in mind as you answer the next set of questions. How likely are people to search for you in an online search engine? How likely are people to become outraged enough at you to post negative comments about you on their blogs or facebook accounts?
Search engine reputation management, as you already know, improves your reputation on the internet so a search engine result will first come up with positive references to you or your company instead of the damaging ones.
If you are a company who is currently struggling without knowing the reason why, you might try getting on the internet, going to Google or Bing or Yahoo and typing in the name of your company. If the first results are negative, you know that people will be more likely to click on those instead of any positive ones with it. If you feel like it might be giving your company a bad image, it is up to you to assess the benefits and drawbacks of hiring a reputation management company.
If you are an individual, there is more to consider. Try the same method mentioned above: search for yourself on the internet, and see what you come up with. If you are not in a position of prominence, it is likely that nothing related to you will come up at all. If that's the case, you probably won't have to worry about it.
If something does come up and it relates to a personal spat between you and an ex-friend or ex-boyfriend or girlfriend, you're probably better off settling the issue by yourself.
However, it is also important to remember that with the rise of the internet age, more and more employers have been researching potential employees on the internet. So, if you're in the process of applying for the job and several people have been posting negative and libelous comments about you--and those websites are coming up when you search yourself on the internet--this might be something to worry about.
You should be especially concerned about your internet reputation if you are in a prominent position either in society, your profession, or your company. The more well-known you are, the more likely you are to become a target for negative commentary. Personal attacks could become associated with not only you but also with your job, making you a hazard, not an asset. This might also be a time to consider reputation management.
Also, if your job depends on a good reputation, you should put more weight on negative search engine results. For example, if you are a hair dresser, a social worker, a counselor, or any other position that relates directly to your skills, you need to take poor internet reviews more seriously, because, obviously, they could affect your job.
Essentially, the decision is up to you. Contact different companies if you think you need reputation management, and discuss with them your options.
