In the longer term, though, I see this becoming less and less of an issue – I feel that a curious thing about the latest working generation(s) is that they’re more interested in the work you can produce, and less focused on how much of a professional ’sheen’ you can present. In addition, I think that the notion of privacy at all costs is gradually morphing into a quaint notion – see 75% of Twitter posts as exhibit A of this thinking. This type of ‘warts and all’ openness is gradually becoming a marker of trust, with those who hoard information finding themselves less trusted than their peers.

As these generations mature into more influential roles, I can see that attitude percolating down into the hiring practices of many companies.

But as I said, I wouldn’t post those pics of yourself at the body painting contest at Burning Man just yet…

I can definitely say with firsthand experience that most employers are vetting people online now through Facebook and the like. It is important to go through your photos and profiles every so often to make sure you aren’t doing or say anything that could give a potential employer a reason to think twice about hiring you.

Then again, a person with true discretion would keep all of that stuff private anyway!

-Ben

A substantial bonus is when I see the company incorporate ideas from these blogs/tweets to improve themselves.