Before establishing a polished Web networking presence, comb the Internet for what Tim DeMello, founder and CEO of networking site Ziggs.com, calls "content crumbs." According to a 2006 survey by ExecuNet, a job search and recruiting network, almost 35% of executive recruiters have dropped a job candidate based on information they uncovered online. If you have a MySpace or similar social page, be sure to check not only your own profile, but your friend's pages for anything you wouldn't want a prospective employer or collaborator to view.
Many of the search engines embedded in networking sites, as well as external ones such as Google and Yahoo, rely heavily on keywords located in the text of your profile. If specific words, like proteomics or genomics, describe you or your work more directly than general terms like biotechnology or pharmaceutical, using the specific terms will increase your chances for exposure. With about ...
