- Joined
- May 19, 2005
- Messages
- 12,709
Using an alias for online discussions is actually very prudent. It doesn't matter what you're doing in real life.
These days, recruiters and prospective employers use Google early and often to learn about potential job candidates. Anything that looks "off" causes them to just chuck the resume into the trash. You never even know they were even considering you, so there's no way to fight back against that. This is why those social network sites are so dangerous; kids in high school and college never seem to understand that that picture of them drunk and naked and throwing up on the cop's car is going to be seen by every recruiter and boss that they'll ever have to deal with in life.
Beyond that, even if you're retired or otherwise not particularly worried about job searches, it's still good to use an alias online. Most people are sane and well-adjusted, but there's always that one wacko out there who is willing to track you down through the internet, then show up at your doorstep just to punch you in the nose. And why would someone do that? Why, because you argued vigorously that you prefer the color green over blue. In other words, who knows? In a nation of 300 million people, there's numerically an awful lot of nutjobs out there.
Create an online identity, use your online identity, and take steps to distance your real-world life from your online life. It's just a wise thing to do.
Your mileage may vary ....
These days, recruiters and prospective employers use Google early and often to learn about potential job candidates. Anything that looks "off" causes them to just chuck the resume into the trash. You never even know they were even considering you, so there's no way to fight back against that. This is why those social network sites are so dangerous; kids in high school and college never seem to understand that that picture of them drunk and naked and throwing up on the cop's car is going to be seen by every recruiter and boss that they'll ever have to deal with in life.
Beyond that, even if you're retired or otherwise not particularly worried about job searches, it's still good to use an alias online. Most people are sane and well-adjusted, but there's always that one wacko out there who is willing to track you down through the internet, then show up at your doorstep just to punch you in the nose. And why would someone do that? Why, because you argued vigorously that you prefer the color green over blue. In other words, who knows? In a nation of 300 million people, there's numerically an awful lot of nutjobs out there.
Create an online identity, use your online identity, and take steps to distance your real-world life from your online life. It's just a wise thing to do.
Your mileage may vary ....
