MEDIA ADVISORY--(BUSINESS WIRE via COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE)--Jan. 24, 2007--

What: "Nu @ the U" is an advice column written for young professionals navigating the unknown waters of internship and career. The workplace column addresses the most timely and common questions received by the national college recruiting staff of the Principal Financial Group.

Who:  The Principal Financial Group(R), a member of the FORTUNE 500, leading financial services company (www.principal.com). The Principal(R) has more than 14,000 employees world-wide and has been recognized as a best-in-class employer by Fortune, ComputerWorld, Working Mother and LATINAStyle magazines.

Columns are written by Nu Huynh, college recruitment consultant at the Principal Financial Group.

When: Bi-weekly, January - May 2007, University newspapers will receive a fresh "Nu @ the U" column.

Why:  "Corporate America can seem like a 'sink or swim' environment, especially for those with little or no professional experience. As a premier employer, the Principal Financial Group is taking a fresh approach to helping provide practical and actionable advice to help young professionals be successful," noted Huynh.

"Nu @ the U" is written and distributed by the Principal Financial Group. The character Blogging Social Butterfly and the above question are fictitious. For more information, please contact Rhonda Clark-Leyda, Corporate Relations, 515-247-6634, [email protected].

Nu @ the U

Dear Nu,

I love online networking. I can express myself, keep in touch with old friends and meet new ones. Some of what I post is not for outside eyes. Do employers research candidates online before hiring?

Signed,

Blogging Social Butterfly

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Dear Social Butterfly,

Why not just send your Spring Break photos with your resume? That way you save potential employers the trouble of going out on the web to find them themselves.

Are you picking up my sarcasm? I should hope so, because I'm laying it on pretty thick.

You absolutely need to watch what you post on your online profiles--or any other Web site, for that matter. Even if you think it's secure, someone who really wants to get in will find a way.

Although most companies don't use online profile reviews as part of their "official" selection process, that doesn't mean individual managers won't decide to do some investigating on their own. And make no mistake--they will make judgments about you based on what they see.

Another thing...don't just play it safe while you're looking for a job or an internship. It's possible colleagues can find more about you than they wanted to know by surfing. I've heard of people losing jobs they already had because of something they - or even someone else - posted online.

So take an objective look at your profile. Ask yourself if you'd feel comfortable emailing any of the photos, quotes, comments - or whatever - to the people who hold the fate of your career in their hands. If not, don't include it.

Nu Huynh is a College Recruitment Consultant at the Principal Financial Group. She travels the country looking for the best and brightest recruits. To find the career or internship you're looking for, visit www.principal.com/careers/visits.htm.

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