Who said google is evil? Apparently not McCain. I happened to read long time ago that employers in the US now, as a final step, use google to check up on potential employees. That is why, as a rule, I only use my real name/information on sites that have to do with my professional life.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080609/wr_nm/usa_politics_mccain_google_dc

RICHMOND, Virginia (Reuters) - It turns out choosing a vice president isn't that complicated after all.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain joked on Monday that Google, the popular Internet search engine, had made investigating his list of potential candidates a little bit easier.

"You know, basically it's a Google," he said to laughter at a fund-raising luncheon when asked how the selection process was going. "What you can find out now on the Internet -- it's remarkable."

Vice presidential candidates go through rigorous screening to determine whether they would help a White House aspirant in a general election -- and to make sure there is nothing in their background that could be damaging down the road.

McCain, 71, has faced high scrutiny in his search because of his age.

The Arizona senator, who wrapped up his place on the top of the Republican ticket earlier this year, said he still had some time to complete the search for a number two.

Dont take it too seriously.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain joked on Monday that Google, the popular Internet search engine, had made investigating his list of potential candidates a little bit easier.

Of course I won't take it too seriously. Google can't uncover everything although in a "youtubed" world, it can uncover some possibly controversial things.

What I will take too seriously though is that again, as I have stated above, many employers in the states do use google to check out potential employees as a last step in the hiring process. Again, just in case this gets in the Nigerian realm, people need to be careful what they post on their blogs or use an alias at the very least.

I agree with you. I also know that some potential employers check out your profile on MySpace, Hi5, Facebook and the like.
Any unpleasant info on your profile can backfire.

yawa-ti-de:

Again, just in case this gets in the Nigerian realm, people need to be careful what they post on their blogs or use an alias at the very least.

While I agree that it is not compulsory for one to use his/her real name on the net I still believe that using one has its many advantages as against not using one.

The many advantages become even obvious when you are providing a service or selling a product.

I use my real names on every single post I write on any public forum since 2003 and thus far not a single regret, instead it has brought many many businesses and contacts.

@Afam
and that is where my, "people need to be careful" comes in. If you are promoting a business or service, it behooves you of course to use real information. However, if you are writing on something like abortion, you might want to be careful because you never know the religious leanings of the person doing the hiring. Within the Nigerian context, I dare say it is akin to not disclosing what cult you belonged to in Uni as you never know which cult your potential employer was a member of in the past.

yawa-ti-de:

Within the Nigerian context, I dare say it is akin to not disclosing what cult you belonged to in Uni as you never know which cult your potential employer was a member of in the past.

Especially if the employer is of the opposite warring one

yawa-ti-de:

many employers in the states do use google to check out potential employees as a last step in the hiring process. Again, just in case this gets in the Nigerian realm, people need to be careful what they post on their blogs or use an alias at the very least.

, And it has reached the Nigerian Realm, so to speak. I went for a job interview 2 months ago and some of the questions where based on what i wrote in my blog (such as dedication between company time and my own outfit, etc). Considering I'm new towards blogging, others who need to might have some "laundering" to do.