You're using a RL photo as your publicly-viewable profile picture?! I hope you're not scaring away potential employers when they google you.

Assuming that a profile picture is more damning than the electronic paper trail which leads to it, there's still the issue: Would you want to work for an employer who does not believe that you have the right to a private life?

Sadly, many people don't have a choice. More and more companies want to poke around someone's private life; if you avoid those types of companies, you'll be increasingly hard-pressed to find employment.

That's one reason why I don't have Facebook, and why I keep "Shiver" *completely* separate from any of my RL information. There's no googleable link from either one to the other.

(Ironically, my current job is an exception, since my immediate boss is a furry too. But his boss isn't (that we know of), so I still keep things separate).

In my experience it doesn't take much to be considered unemployable these days, Internet or no Internet; if I'm going to be automatically round-filed anyways I'd just as soon be the one with the moral high ground. And if the company asks me for private passwords so they can stalk me at leisure? Seriously?

I do get what you're saying, but I think cyber stalking employees and applicants to look for petty reasons to dismiss them is nigh on psychopathic. Besides which, if somebody wants to know everything about your online activities, they will find out. A cyber stalker followed me from dA to an otherkin board I frequent simply because I used the same avatar on both sites. One shared link, one image, one name drop, even one darling phrase and they can uncover the bulk of your connections.

Ah, I found the article about it:

http://www.hrwebadvisor.com/headlin.....gin-is-it-okay

Some companies are asking job candidates to give them their facebook login *and password*, so they can do a background check.

Can they trace you through a photo now? Drat! I'll have to re-think this...

Sort of:
http://www.google.com/insidesearch/.....chbyimage.html

I was thinking that if they googled your RL name, they'd find D'Otter, as IIRC you did sign some of your stories with your RL name. But, they couldn't be 100% sure it wasn't someone else with the same name, but if they found your photo, they would definitely know it's you. (Sorry if that sentence is confusing; I just woke up and can't think straight).

Are you on Facebook? If someone tagged that photo with your name, then perhaps Google's "find similar photos" would be able to find this photo, and therefore this FA account. Who knows? Even if the technology isn't available today, the evidence will still be there in a few years when image search capabilities are better.

And Apple iPhoto adds links and photos to Facebook's search ability; that's why I deleted my Facebook account. (I have a sock-puppet account, but it's under a false name, shut right down to share nothing, and I only use it to read pages with info that's only on Fb.)

Aw man, I clicked on the thumbnail with this awesome (okay, marginally humourous) quip in mind, but the full image sort of spoils the context.

For what it's worth, in my opinion go with the goatee.

Thanks! I believe i will.

Ottery mustache!

We do have 'em.

You do look like an otter lol

Thanks! *snickers* I like being thought of as cute.

you going to AC this year?

I wish! Got no passport, got no ride, got no money... I'm hoping to save up for next year.

well let me know if you need a ride from the airport.

I'll keep that in mind! Toronto's only a day's drive from Philadelphia, though so I'll probably be driving. (There are other acceptable forms of ID, but they cost about as much as a passport and can only be used to cross into the States. Might as well go "whole hog.")

Its not in philly anymore.

D'OH! ...Pittsburgh...

He *does*!!! That was my first thought!

*giggle, hugz* Thanks, Mel. There've been times I've wondered if I'd chosen the right fursonna; now I'm sure I did.

Im thinking it looks good i really like it let it fill in more and it will be perfect ^^ Yay an otter with a goatee :3

Thank you! I thought this would improve my looks! It has grown out since then, I ought to update this photo.

Not improve you allready look awesome wouldnt want you any different you wouldnt be you any other way ^^ the goatee ads some hey come here seeeeee i love it !!

Definitely better with the 'tee. Balances out your face, methinks.

Thank you! It's actually easier to maintain than the mo', too.

Interesting. Makes you look more mature... which is a mite misleading among furries, but let's go with it.

...erh ...thanks?

nice facial FUR :D

Thanks! Profile Picture 3 looks more like my beard at present.