Our reputation is one of our most valuable possessions, determining in large part where we work, how much money we make, whom we date or marry, and many other aspects of our lives.
The Internet, however, has made protecting, maintaining and defending our reputations difficult. Photos from college parties, blog posts by ex-boyfriends or disgruntled employees, court records: they're all out there, free for the Googling. And unlike the days when our reputations were confined to a relatively small group of friends or acquaintances, our digital reputations spread instantly around the world.
Perhaps one of the first times online reputation becomes an important issue for many young adults is when they apply for their first real job. At that point, recruiters and hiring managers are likely to Google them, seek them out on Myspace and Facebook, and use other electronic means to check them out before they even put a foot in the door.
