You may have heard this phrase before:
“It’s not who you know… but who knows you – and what they say about you.”
I believe that statement is very true, but since we live in an increasingly online world, maybe it should be modified to:
“It’s not who you know, or what they say about you… it’s what Google says about you.”
Case in point – a short email I received last week:
Wondering if Curt was on to something, I Googled the phrase “best recruiter in the world” and here’s what I found:
The first two unpaid hits out of over 2,200 results came from a tongue-in-cheek post on this blog from July 2009:
I’m no SEO expert, but I did choose the title intentionally back then, assuming that it’s possible people (ideally client companies) sometimes go to Google and start with that phrase when looking for a Recruiter. A long shot I know. But nothing ventured, nothing gained right? As someone responsible for developing my own business, I try to use every option available to me.
Looks like my title strategery worked a little better than I expected – or at least it worked well enough to give me a laugh. And Curt got a nice response for being a little more creative than the too often used – “I see you’re a Recruiter. Can you help me find a job?”
This cheeky little example was a good reminder for me of how important it is to be mindful of what I put out there on the interwebs. Like it or not, your credibility (and mine) is being judged every day by people searching Google (and other search engines) who are finding your blog posts, tweets, LinkedIn profile, etc.
Thankfully, Google got it right this time.
Like this? You might also like these posts on Unbridled Talent:
Tags: personal brand, recruiter, Recruiting
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Ha! This is awesome!
Excuse me while I go prepare my next blog post, “Who has the best talent management software on the market?” Haha. Just kidding…maybe…
Jennifer,
This was a good reality check on what we put “out there” for all to see. For what it’s worth, I think you’re a darn good recruiter
@Ginger – From your mouth to Google’s ears…
(Thanks for commenting!)
@Jennifer – Hoping I’ll make the number one spot on Google for “darn good recruiter” now thanks to your comment!
Cool!
You will be #1 just be ready for google to ask for your credit card!
Ms. J. You know perception is reality !!
Jennifer,
This would have been something worth sharing at the Blogger session in HR Evolution. It’s the small things like hyperlinks and titles that make a difference in SEO.
I’ve been lurking on your site . . Good stuff!
Jessica
@blogging4jobs
Interesting post. It’s amazing how the tags you choose can help you on Google.
One additional suggestion – if you’re not yet registered on Blog Catalog, you might try that too. I’ve had an account for two years and doubled my readers in that time on one of my blogs.
Sometimes the SEO benefits are intentional – and sometimes unintentional on my part, but I’m learning about how to use post titles, tags and links to help with search results for the things I want to be found for. Thanks suggesting Blog Catelog. I’ll definitely check it out!
Lol.. I am pretty good at SEO and yes, the title has huge impact on your positioning. It would be cool to implement this into someway that helps you get a job for a position you really want.