The job-hunt advice just gets weirder and weirder. This past week I sent off what I think may be my last job applications (with a total in the high thirties; Sydney thinks I’m not sufficiently discriminating), and look forward to getting on with my real life while the search committees transform my carefully prepared applications into recycling. But a recent article had me thinking I may have a bit more work to do. One advice column advised applicants to google themselves regularly, since you can be sure that committees will be doing it if they’re interested in you. I do, occasionally, but haven’t found anything worrisome either about me or about someone who shares my name. I was reminded, however, that internet search results are “geo-specific,” as in, searchers may well find different information if they search from different regions in the States than they will abroad. So, if you feel like it, you’re welcome to google variations on my name and let me know if you come up with anything that raises a red flag. If I’m lucky, all you’ll come up with is a boring description or two of my work. I can deal with that.
Erin
Alan Schmierer
In Ohio, you are the first result to a search of your name. 🙂
Thanks, Ryan! I’m glad to know I’m me 🙂 Unfortunately, there are several other women with my name out there, and they all seem to be fair-skinned and Midwestern-looking; maybe I’ll just have to hope that they all keep their noses clean for the next few months.
Erin
No red flags here! I log in to Google to use gmail on my home computers, formerly in DC, and now in Chicago. However, while at work in Chicago, our servers all over the country are able to trick the Google Machines! So on a regionally-confused google search today, in my office, with location tracking on our servers turned off (sometimes they’re on and bouncing off TX, LA, etc.), your name and current position are the first search result and your headshot there is one of the first images that appears in few images that google shows on my first search page. Everything else on the first page is pretty obviously not you, and the second page, another link jumps out with a flyer to your most recent seminar. Also, a recommended search at the bottom includes your name + a correct school after it too, to narrow the results.
I’ve been job hunting for so long and my first and last name are so uncommon that I google myself all the time to see what comes up. With quotes around my name, there are few enough hits that I can usually click through every result. Luckily for me, the red flags should be limited to my own mistakes until another person with my name comes along!