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Recent research conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) highlights that 80% of employers have searched for a candidate’s online profile on social media and other websites before interviews.

These figures coupled with yesterday's unemployment figures demonstrate how important a positive online presence is for today’s jobseekers.

Career management experts, Workthing+ offers the following tips for tackling online reputation management:

1) Evaluate your online profile from the perspective of a potential employer
Google yourself, see what comes up and then take an objective look at all the photos, videos and postings you’ve made on Facebook, MySpace, YouTube etc. Is there anything on there that would be embarrassing for a potential employer to view? You may also be surprised to see yourself mentioned on forums and social networking sites. Delete and make private any information and content that could be career limiting to you if taken out of context.

2) Sign up for a Google Alert with your name as the search term
You’ll get an email whenever your name comes up in news, websites, blogs, etc indexed by Google. It gives you a solid grasp of how you are perceived online in real time.

3) Use your online profile to your advantage
Approach the online world in the same way you would its offline counterpart: what opportunities does it offer to promote your skills and experience to potential employers? Additionally, professional networking sites such as LinkedIn allow you to include achievements that are not possible to include in a CV or an application form, such as a strong network of influential business people.

4) Mix in the right circles
The calibre of people in your online network reflects your credibility – who are your friends, who are you connected to, who’s commenting on your blog, and what groups are you affiliated to? It all counts towards enhancing or damaging your online brand. LinkedIn recommendations can be as valuable as handwritten references or personal recommendations so ask colleagues and professionals to vouch for you.

5) Position yourself as a thought leader
Writing a blog or contributing to industry forums are great ways of making a name for yourself in a particular field. And search engines love blogs as do other bloggers who might want to link to your posts. Treat this as an opportunity to demonstrate thought leadership and build a reputation as an authority in your industry. Alternatively, if you don’t have time to establish and maintain a blog, you might want to visit popular blogs for your industry or speciality and leave insightful comments.

A personal online brand takes time to establish itself but the rewards can be great. If you establish a great online reputation for yourself, you’re certain to attract companies with great reputations in return.