Protecting your Privacy During a Job Search

You're looking for a new job and you want to be out there so employers can find you. However, it's important to remember that your information is being viewed by possibly hundreds if not thousands of people. I guarantee at least one of the people along that list of viewers has less than honorable intentions. So how do you protect yourself and still remain visible and in sync with the various hiring sites out there? I've spent quite a bit of time at this and done some research and have some useful tips.

1. Your resume.

• There is absolutely no need to list your home address on your resume. City, State and Zip Code are more than enough for an employer to know where you are located.
• A home number is much easier to trace back to an address. Use your cell phone number.
• First and Last name is adequate. Middle names, nick names, etc. are not useful to an employer during this stage and just make it easier to find you.
• Do not list your references on your resume. Not only is this outdated; your are now sharing their contact information.
• If you are posting your resume on a public facing site where it can be viewed by anyone with an account, consider using the option to mask your name or use your job title instead.
• For the same reason try to avoid using an email address that shows your entire first and last name.
• Never list any personal identifier numbers such as driver's license number, social security number, etc.

2. Finding and Being Found

• Keep track of where you post your resume. If you are contacted by someone claiming to have found your resume on a site, make sure your resume is actually located on that site.
• Use a separate email address for job search activities. This will not only cut down on spam but employers can and do perform reverse email address searches. Use a different email than the one you use for shopping, social networks (the exception being Linkedin or other "professional" networking sites) and other online activities.
• Google yourself. Also go to a people search site like pipl.com. Look for any listings that may share private information (age, contact info, private accounts, etc.)If you aren't blessed with a unique name like I am, get familiar with boolean search parameters. If you aren't familiar with these, here is a helpful article: http://booleanblackbelt.com/2008/12/basic-boolean-search-operators-and-query-modifiers-explained/. You can also set up a Google alert that will email you listings when your search term has a new result. If you find something you don't want out there you can generally contact the host site and ask to be removed.
• Check your privacy settings on all your personal social media accounts. Make sure that your information is locked down and only available to friends. Be aware of what items are public (e.g. a Facebook profile picture) and make sure they are appropriate. Here is a useful article with tips on some of the more common social media platforms: https://identity.utexas.edu/everyone/how-to-manage-your-social-media-privacy-settings

3. Interacting with Potential Employers

• A potential employer obviously needs your email address and phone number to contact you. However when filling out the contact information, if an employer portal asks for my home address, I typically just type in "home address" or "will provide." This is a little more subjective but in my opinion, a company doesn't need to know my street addres until they hire me.
• If you are applying for a job and their recruiting tool asks you to provide your social security number or ask for permission to perform a pre-screening background check, do this at your own risk! Again, you have no idea who is viewing this information and whether it is secured. A background check may hit your credit or share information you aren't comfortable providing at this stage. Generally, if I run across these kinds of sites (especially the background check), I generally take a pass because I don't like the message this sends. However, if I make an exception I usually decline or provide a social security number of all zeros and add a note to my application explaining I am not comfortable submitting this way but am happy to provide when it is appropriate. The few times I've done so the employer has typically responded that they understand.
• I've noticed employers are now asking for reference contact information on application portals. Again, this is purely a personal choice. However, I want to be in control of my references, letting them know when, if, how and for what they might be contacted first. Secondly, again I am now sharing information for other people without their consent without knowing exactly how many people will view it. Again, I generally fill in the fields by saying I will provide after an interview. I understand there is a risk the employer may pass for this reason but personally I am okay with that. Make sure you are if you go this route.
• It should go without saying that any information about age, health issues, etc. is protected by privacy laws.
• Be careful when applying on websites for smaller employers. They don't always have the infrastructure and knowledge to ensure that your information is protected. Again, I have found that if I express my concerns in a legitimate way (at times I have also offered suggestions for improvements) that these companies are perfectly reasonable. If not, ask yourself if this is the employer for you.
• If you receive an unsolicited invitation by a company or recruiter, do your research. Visit their website. Make sure their email address is followed by a company name domain, not a commercial email provider such as Gmail or Yahoo. Look for the company on Linkedin, Glassdoor and Facebook. This article provides some useful tips for researching companies: https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-get-a-job-525784.
• NEVER send personal identification information via email because it is rarely secured. If an employer needs this is, it should be provided through a more secure method and only when necessary.

These are just a few tips. If anyone else has any useful ideas, tips, sites, etc. please feel free to comment and share. Getting a job is important. But protecting your safety and identity is even more so. A reasonable and savvy employer SHOULD understand this.