internet trails

[mzteris]

so many many years ago, I had signed my name to some petitions online - I still support the "cause" - but definitely not the organizations. Now, when my name is googled - those pop-up right near the top.

I'm trying DESPERATELY to find a job and I don't know if prospective employers google names - or if they'd even CARE, but maybe they do. I dunno. I need to eliminate every possible impediment.

So my question is this - is there ANY WAY to make those GO AWAY?!?!? Any way at all?

[hobbit709]

1. Searched my name and got thousands of hits.

None on the first 10 pages were me or even close.

[mzteris]

2. I'm the only one with my name

in the entire US evidently. . . :(

[Wilms]

3. Perhaps this will help.

http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=164734

[struggle4progress]

4. Frankly, I don't think you can really do squat about it

You could email various webmasters and ask your name be removed, but that may be lots of work for little or no result

My advice is don't sweat it. The topic shouldn't come up in a professional interview; if it does, I'd try to misunderstand the question as work-related and sidestep with an answer that completely misunderstood the question and focussed on a work-related issue

[Celebration]

5. On an interview

I heard that the way to deal with this is to create your own blog somewhere, and put in that blog everything you want people to know about you and your image. That way, any old website references to your name are way, way, down the list. Your blog will show up on the first few pages if you keep it active.