Influence Your Reputation

If you've gone through any aspect of the criminal justice system, you already know how a single record can create a lifelong ripple effect. Long after serving time or resolving charges, remnants of that history often linger online to impact job applications, housing opportunities, and even personal relationships. Take steps to remedy such problems by building a profile on Prison Professors Talent.

Your digital reputation will influences opportunities or discrimination.

One of the most effective strategies for reclaiming your narrative and creating a better future is leveraging the power of a digital profile. Building a profile that shows consistency in personal development will influence how others see you. It's a step toward opening new opportunities for growth and success, and potentially, a higher level of liberty.

Your Digital Reputation

Once someone types your name into a search engine, what will they find?

For many, the answer includes stories of arrest or incarceration long past. This digital shadow can unfairly weigh you down, limiting how people perceive you. Our team at Prison Professors encourages you to take ownership of your digital reputation.

Through strategic effort, rewrite your story. Build a personal profile showing how you've engineered a pathway to a better life, with consistent updates. That strategy worked for me and I'm confident it can work for anyone in our community.

I didn’t have access to Google or social media while I served my sentence. From reading, however, I learned how the internet was changing the world. I wrote to influence the way that others would view me. Although I didn't have access to the web, I could send articles home to my wife. She would type the articles and publish on a website she maintained on my behalf. I wrote articles, books, and blogs for years. As a result, when someone Googles my name, those articles dominate the search results. If people try to learn about me, they see what I've become rather than the decisions that led me to prison.

Our nonprofit launched Prison Professors Talent as a platform to assist people who want to build a better, more influential digital presence. Think of it as your profile as a personal stage to showcase who you are and what you’re about—not who you were.

Here’s what it can do for you:

1. Showcase Growth and Transformation: Use your profile to highlight your efforts to learn, grow, and contribute. Post journal entries about challenges you’ve overcome, book reports reflecting your dedication to personal development, or essays that showcase your wisdom and insights.
2. Build Consistency Over Time:  A one-time update isn’t enough to shift perceptions. By regularly updating your profile with new content, you’ll signal to search engines like Google that you’re active. Over time, your positive efforts will rise higher in search results than older, unfavorable information.
3. Attract Opportunities: Employers, landlords, and other decision-makers often research applicants online. A profile on Prison Professors speaks volumes about your commitment to accountability, perseverance, and preparing for success.
4. Develop Your Personal Brand: The steps you take after adversity will help you overcome unfavorable press releases. Through your profile, you can craft a personal brand focused on resilience, contributions, and values. This leaves a lasting impression on anyone who views it.

Practical Steps to Build an Influential Digital Profile

Here’s how you can get started with a Prison Professors Talent Profile to take control of your reputation and set yourself up for better opportunities:

1. Commit to Being Transparent

Write honestly about your past experiences while focusing on how you’ve grown. People respect authenticity paired with evidence of progress. Share lessons learned, skills gained, and the steps you’ve taken to build.

2. Document Your Efforts

Consistency is the key to building reputation over time. Post regularly about the work you’re doing. Examples include:

• Insights from a book you’ve read. 
• Reflections on strategies you’re using to grow. 
• Milestones reached in education, personal relationships, or career development. 

For instance, if you’ve been involved in community service or re-entry programs, those are great stories to share.

3. Provide Value to Others

Think beyond yourself. How can your story or knowledge serve others? This could mean writing advice for others navigating adversity, sharing career tips, or reflecting on what helped you stay motivated.

4. Optimize for Search Engines

When creating posts or adding content, think about the words someone might use to find you. For example, if you're writing about job readiness or personal growth post-incarceration, include those keywords naturally in your writing so search engines can pick them up.

5. Be Patient and Persistent

Reputation-building isn’t an overnight process. Google takes time to index new content, and viewers may take time to notice your efforts. Trust in the process, keep contributing, and know that these efforts will compound over time.

Real-Life Proof of Impact

I’m living proof that this works. When I entered federal prison at 23, I still had two decades ahead of me. While others saw that time as empty, I saw it as an opportunity to reconcile with society, or sow seeds for the life I wanted to lead upon release. During the decades I served, I wrote books, earned academic degrees, and published regularly. I wanted anyone who searched my name to see that I had taken a bad situation and turned into a positive life story. That strategy helped me immensely while I served my sentence. It also prepared me for a fulfilling life.

When I was released, opportunities awaited me. I kept building. Those articles I wrote in prison became prominent on search engines. My adjustment in prison led to career opportunities and multiple income streams. You can pursue the same deliberate pathway to success with intentional decisions, and work to influence your digital profile.

Create Your Path Forward With Purpose

Here’s the reality of the digital age we live in today:

• Your online reputation matters more than ever. 
• The power to shape it lies in your hands.

Every article you post and piece of content you create influences how others will see you. Build a portrait of redemption and reconciliation. Tell a story of progress. Prove beyond words that you're capable of overcoming adversity. Your profile should reflect your work, your discipline, and your determination to live better. And most importantly, it’s a resource that opens doors when previously they seemed permanently shut.

Your Action Plan:

1. Sign up and create your profile on Prison Professors Talent Portal. 
2. Write your first post about a book, personal experience, or lesson learned. 
3. Commit to publishing consistency, even if you begin small. 

Every step you take plants seeds of possibility. Start building your digital reputation now and take control of your future. Opportunities await those who prepare for them. Make yours count.

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