As one of the countless job seekers out there, there may very well be many people who share the same name as you do. As a result, this may lead you into the false notion that somehow, you can do whatever you want online and nobody will notice.

Guess again. There are plenty of ways in which prospective employers can figure out that the person they are thinking about hiring may also be the same person who likes to cause trouble on the Internet.

So, with a common name, you figure that if anyone searches for you on Google, Yahoo, Bing or another of the other search engines, they will run into far more people that you, right?

Wrong. Google has already rolled out a social media search, and Yahoo and Bing are in the process of following suit. That means, of course, that whatever happens to be on your social networking accounts will be more visible than ever in a shorter amount of time. What that means is that for example, say you get into an online flame war. Google’s social media search can make this searchable within a day.

Besides that, employers, who have been using search engines in ever-increasing numbers as their de facto background checks, will already be looking beyond your name. Since they have information such as address, education and previous employment, they can utilize long-tail searches to pinpoint you specifically.

That said, while we have always stressed maintaining your online presence, with the increased competition in the job market, it’s more important than ever. Take a look at your social media profiles. Are there any red flags? And are you set up with accounts on business networking sites such as LinkedIn?

If not, these simple mistakes could mean the difference between you and your next job. So, stay vigilant in keeping your online presence blemish-free.