A while back I was reading a blog post by Jim Plush titled “What separates a professional PHP web developer from a scripter?”. In general it’s a good list, and should provide good advice for many an aspiring developer. However one point in particular raised a red flag:

I should be able to find all sorts of good things on google that you’re doing with php or web technologies, It generally is a red flag when I google you and nothing comes up(bonus points for having a project of your own or contributing to one).

The problem here isn’t finding and assessing a developer’s past work – any developer ought to have a few show pieces to show. It’s the idea of googling for an individual as having a red or green flag effect.. I’ll be cautious and note Jim used the word “generally” in there suggesting there are exceptions. Hopefully.

I’m a prime example, stick the following into Google: “Pádraic Brady”. Now go google – you’ll realise after a page or two that I seem to have only existed for scarcely a year, primarily on the PHP scene, and a little bit for much longer on some Linux and Irish websites (though my name is not quite as rare in Ireland so don’t expect to know which is me ;) ). That’s the length of time that’s passed since I became more willing to use my real name on the internet, in a very limited way. Before that, I have used a collection of internet handles. In PHP, you’d see “Maugrim The Reaper” more often than not – assuming my blog title didn’t give that away!

Going back a year, if during an interview a prospective employer decided to comment on my lack of online existence I’d have likely started getting worried. I’ve been on the internet since the mid 90′s, since secondary school, and likely have posted a lot of stupid ignorant insanely offending messages. So do I a) tell the employer I operate under internet handle A and let them trace my existence for 10 years online, or b) refuse to hand the employer any personally identifiable details, or c) avoid the issue and hope I fall into some exceptional case reserved for privacy sensitive individuals not wishing to offend an employer by saying “no” straight out?

It raises a pretty intriguing question. How far should an employer value that online google check? Low or high? Personally, I’d lean towards low on the basis that if a prospective employee had a community involvement or a personal project they forgot to mention then they are either inexperienced in being interviewed (prod and prod again ;) ), or just don’t have any. Checking online would be hit and miss. If I checked myself 12 months ago I’d be spitting red flags because I would have walked out of the interview rather than give up a list of my precious online anonymous aliases. Screw that.

Today I couldn’t care less since my name has been barely used online for a year, and I’m almost certain in a non-offensive manner ;) . It’s become a plus to associate my name with this blog and my own meagre contributions to the PHP community. I still however use multiple aliases which effectively isolate varying interests and online activities from each other – enough to defeat the tracking schemes of the average google-read-opine folk who aren’t willing to dig around for a while. My “Maugrim” alias will net you little more than early PHP development on an online game (’00 to ’03) and some references to the alias’ source in a Yahoo Club (now Group) back in ’99 where Maugrim The Reaper was a pissed off Irish druid in an RPG fiction writing club ;) . For those who’ve linked their entire identity, online actions, and blunders to a real name or singular alias however it’s can be a pretty tough position.

The reason I raise this post is because I actually know people this impacts. I’ve seen 3 people over the last few years do their living best erasing themselves from forums, and opt-in services to get rid of their past. I know two of these were definitely having issues with employers. None actually noted an employer name, so it seemed to revolve around how easy it is not only for employers – but lest we forget, CLIENTS – to do an idle google for a name. Herein lies the danger of singular identities online – if you don’t keep yourself ringfenced to an alias, or at the least wary about openly posting certain types of, eh, criticism under a real name then you can be fried. Hell, two years from now I might regret using my real name in this entry… That would (or will?) be a shin kicker.

Still doesn’t answer how to respond to that employer question about your online contributions… I don’t have one if an employer puts too much value on prying (sorry, checking) into a person’s private activities online innocent though they may see it.

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