Keep in mind that who you are online says a lot about who you are in real life, especially to the person viewing your page. Do you really want your mom’s neighbor’s daughter to see that picture of you giving the finger or flashing the camera? Wouldn’t it be embarrassing if what happened in Vegas didn’t stay in Vegas and your boyfriend’s nosy sister found out? Or even worse, what if your boss found out that your wild Vegas trip was at the same time you were “out with the flu?” Yikes! It is more important than ever to exercise caution online. Take advantage of privacy settings. Monitor the comments and photos other people post on your page. Be aware of your audience when choosing what to make public or keep private. Remember that almost anyone can access the Internet.

Social networking websites like MySpace, Flickr, LiveJournal, Friendster, Xanga and FaceBook are great for staying in contact with friends, sharing photos or finding new music, but face it: You would never show your parents, employers or hiring managers some of the information and photos that are posted on there! That’s one of the many reasons we created YSN.com: to give you an online profile that you want to show family, employers, friends and colleagues. When your loved ones ask what you’re doing with your life or a prospective employer scours the Internet for your name, you want to show them a portfolio that represents you in a positive, professional light. Your YSN portfolio helps build your professional identity and highlights who you are as a person: your goals, ambition, dreams and achievements. It’s also an interactive way to help you stay focused, motivated and on-track as you pursue your Ideal Life. Besides, if you’re going to be online anyway, you might as well be doing something worthwhile, right? As we fondly say here in the office, YSN.com is “productive procrastination!”