You may be employed but looking for better pay, underemployed and looking for a better job or needing a more stable position. You think about all the ways you can get what you are looking for when you see an ad from CareerBuilder, Monster or any of the other job boards out there. You think “Hey, it would be so easy to let another job find me if I posted a resume online!” You think it will be easier and less work for you this way. Wrong.

NEVER POST YOUR RESUME ONLINE

1. First there is identify theft with all of your personal information in full view, it makes it just so much easier to steal your identity, mess with your credit and worse.
2. Second your manager or HR department can find it. I know this os common for many Corporate Recruiters and HR staff. When I worked as a Corporate Recruiter it was part of my daily routine to look up our company name in these resume databases and if I found any posted resumes, I forwarded them to HR or to their manager as a heads up. This way the manager could decide to try harder to keep you or help you out the door!
3. There are mah email scams these days- in fact there is one that is going around now that looks very legitimate – an “employer” emails you and asks you to answer interview questions. Once they receive your answers, more questions are forwarded to you. The a few days later, you get a very official-lookign offer asking for it to be signed and faxed. A few top executives have apprently been fooled by these emails and this is one way for the scammers to find you – through your email address they got from your resume (not to mention getting your address and employemnt history as well!)
4. By having your address and guessing at your income level from your current and past titles, you are leaving yourself open to other types of theft. It would be so easy for a thief to call for you at your current listed job, make sure you answer the phone, and then make a visit to your house when you are at work.
5. By allowing anyone to gain access to your current employment information, you are leaving yourself open to blackmail. And although it may be uncommon, I myself have heard stories of less than ethical headhunters contacting the manager of the employee who has posted their resume online to inform them that they have seen your resume online and if they need to replace you before you leave, that they will be more than happy to help!
6. Many employment agencies get new clients by boasting how many resumes they have in their candidate databases and strive to fill them up for this purpose, regardless of whether they can actually place these individuals or not. It is not uncommon for these agencies to copy your resume information into their own in-house database. Once this information is in their files, they may do with it as they will.
7. The people behind the job boards and resume database companies really don’t care if your personal information is up for the world to see and just like some employment agencies, the more resumes they have in their databases the better. You see, employers are more apt to advertise when there is gasp, 3 million resumes already in their database! “I am sure to fill my job then, right??”
8. Headhunters and recruiters may find your resume and decide you are not who they are looking for, and actually use the information you provide them to get to others in your current or past organization. This typically happens with a phone call you will think they are interviewing you but all they are doing is trying to get information about your more valuable coworkers! Stop them from using you to get to other people.
9. a.) Headhunters and recruiters often “go fishing” with resumes they find online. What I mean is this you have a great resume you have all the right experience, education and live in the right area perfect for a well known opening at XYZ company who although they are not an ACTUAL client of the recruiters, is on their target list. But you are so perfect for the job and they know it and they see you as a way to get their foot in the door! So they send your resume to the company and when the company calls them back, they say they a.) don’t use headhunters, b.)already have interviews lined up or c.) won’t pay the fees that the headhunter is asking for. You may think “How does this affect me?” but let me tell you. So the company has your resume and is interested, but since it was sent by the headhunter they are afraid to contact you since they know there will be a big fight over fees if you are hired since they did in fact send your resume to them so in the trash your resume goes The headhunter is sent away and you have no idea this has all happened. The a week goes by and a headhunter with a legitimate contract with the company calls you you are a great fit! But when they try to arrange an interview, the company tells them that they already have your resume! “How did this happen” they exclaim? The company decides not to interview you since you are clearly someone who works with far too any agencies and they can’t understand why you would allow 2 firms to represent you to the same company! Besides, if they could forgive your flightiness and lack of judgement, how do they know that, if extended an offer, that you would in fact accept when you must have several offers and interested parties? Better to just tell the legitimate headhunter to find another candidate!
10. Lastly you can almost 100% guarantee that you will have zero control of your personal information and what is done with it, so why risk it?

So what can I do instead?

1. Create a confidential resume (and email that is not simply your first and last name) or list of accomplishments that is created for your job search. If your credentials, education and accomplishments are written clearly, and the employer is interested, they will email you regardless of whether your personal information is included. If you are worried, you can always include a brief cover letter explaining more about yourself and why you are keeping your search confidential (just state that your current employer doesn’t know you are seeking a new opportunity and leave it at that).
2. Reply to job advertisements instead of waiting for the employer to find you. I still don’t think this is the most effective approach, but if you are unable to contact the hiring manager directly, this is the safest way to ensure confidentiality.
3. If you have an old resume online, remove it or replace it with your new confidential one.
4. Avoid registering with several headhunters but instead interview the ones who seem to be the most successful and pick one that is trustworthy, ethical, successful, productive and has experience. Tell them you do not want your resume being sent to anyone without your prior permission. Good headhunters and recruiters will honor this wish. Now they may ask that you keep their clients confidential so you need to be prepared to return the favor. This will be a headhunter you can build trust with over time and in fact in you find such a person – stick with them as a good headhunter can be very valuable to you throughout your career.

Courtesy Seattle Examiner http://xrl.in/1ezh – Tara Gowland has more than 10 years’ experience as both a headhunter and corporate recruiter in the United States and Canada. Tara has coached thousands of candidates into the offer of their choice and specializes in assisting working professionals, new graduates, and those re-entering the work force. Tara also provides resume writing services, interview coaching and live chat assistance. Questions or comments? E-mail Tara at joblady@thejoblady.net.

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