Reputation management means controlling as much as possible what information and perceptions people have about you.
This could mean promoting yourself as an expert in your particular field, raising the impact of your research or just making sure there is nothing too embarrasing online which could get in the way of you getting the job you hope for.
Your online persona will shape people's opinions about you.
Even if you don't use social media, it is highly likely there will be information about you online so it makes sense to control what is and make it as positive as possible.
1. Google yourself.
If you haven't done already, try to find out what other people see when they search for you online - don't just search Google, try other search engines and social media channels too. Think about how a potential recruiter might view the results.
2. Tell a positive story.
Your online presence should tell a positive story about who you are. If you have a blog, twitter account and/or LinkedIn profile try to make these consistent with who you are and with each other. Avoid posting anything which obviously puts you in a negative context.
3. Update on a regular basis.
Posting engaging content and keeping the blog regularly updated will create a strong impression of you and the work you do.
4. Choose your level of privacy.
You can keep your accounts private or choose to keep it open so learn how to set the privacy settings of sites like Facebook and LinkedIn and remember to check them on a regular basis as they can sometimes change.
Take off your tag settings on Facebook if you have been out at a party and don't want pictures of you to go viral. Likewise, decide whether you want to let your network know when you are updating your LinkedIn pages.
5. Be professional.
It is, of course, fine to have contentious viewpoints - no-one is asking you to lose your personality or say things you don't believe in. However, being aggressive and posting ill-advised comments or tweets can easily undo all the good work you have been doing in building your professional reputation.
Be yourself - but the highly articulate and professional version of yourself!