A few years ago, the last thing I would do before leaving my office for a meeting was to check my profile in the mirror-for tidy hair, fresh lipstick, and poppy-seed-free teeth.

These days, the last thing I do before a meeting is to check a different profile-the online profile of the person I’m on my way to meet.

My tools? Google.com, Yahoo.com, and Dogpile.com, just to name a few.

Thanks to the vast capabilities of Internet search engines like these, it only takes a few minutes to gather a pretty comprehensive dossier on pretty much anyone. And, as you know, the more information you have about someone before you meet, the better focused your meeting can be-whether you’re looking to close a deal, make a job offer, or forge a networking connection. A web search can prepare you, excite you, or warn you before you get in too deep.

Am I overestimating the importance of the virtual background search? I don’t think so. “Google it” may just be the most ubiquitous phrase in the workplace today. And companies of all sizes spend large sums of money to make sure their websites appear when someone types their product or service into an Internet search engine.

A person’s “searchability” is fast becoming a crucial element of his or her professional reputation. I’ll bet you’ve checked out potential employees or clients online, and you can bet that they’ve checked you out as well. So have conference planners looking for speakers, organizations seeking board members, and journalists wanting experts to interview. For the articles and books I write, my first stop is always a web search.

How can you vet your own searchability, and improve it if necessary? Here are some suggestions:

1. Check Yourself Out. Simply type your name into the Internet search engine of your choice. Be sure to type in alternate spellings if your name is easily misspelled, or a few distinguishing facts (such as your middle initial, title, company, or alma mater) if you have a common name. I know this may feel weird at first-like you’re stalking yourself (and note that this practice is known in some circles as “Ego-Googling”)-but it’s crucial to know what the web says about you.

2. If Necessary, Improve Your Online Persona. What can you do if your searchability results are less than impressive, incorrect, or if you end up with the dreaded message, “Your search did not match any documents”? The good news is that you can take action. Here are some tips to try, depending on your company’s policies, your professional ambitions, and your comfort with the Internet:

If possible, make sure your current professional bio appears on your company’s website. This is where most people will expect to find information about you.

If you find any errors or content that’s less than impressive, send a note to the webmaster of the offending site and request a correction or deletion. Media websites won’t make a change, but most other organizations should agree to fix any incorrect or misleading information. If there’s no way to change content, your best course of action is to add more positive content about yourself online, to “cover up” the negative stuff.

If you belong to a professional association, and particularly if you serve on a committee or hold a leadership position, offer to write a short online article on a topic related to your expertise. Likewise, if you’ve spoken at an industry event recently, ask if excerpts from your remarks can be archived on the host organization’s website.

Review books on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, or send your review to a blog (an online journal) related to your industry. (Of course, if you’re really interested in building your web presence, write a blog yourself.) If your goal is to improve your visibility as an expert in your field, this is a great strategy. Note that for maximum exposure you should register to post your reviews with your real name, and not a username like “MarketingBookGuru” or “NewJerseyHRMan.”

Create a profile on a professional networking site, such as LinkedIn.com, Ryze.com, or for women executives, the DowntownWomensClub.com’s DWC Faces. Most such sites will allow you to make your profile viewable by the public (which means it will be identified by search engines). These online profiles include plenty of space for you to post information about your current position, previous positions, schools attended, organization memberships, and more.

Finally, I recommend running a search of some professionals you admire and seeing where they show up online. Perhaps you can contribute to some of the same websites or register for the same directories or virtual communities.

3. Stay Diligent. Just like the web itself, your online image is a never-ending work in progress. While you don’t have to monitor your online identity minute-to-minute as many companies do, you should check in on your virtual self regularly. This is particularly important when you’re undertaking a job search or slated to speak at a conference (or even going on a date!), when others are more likely to be checking you out online.

Finally, remember that the importance of your online image is in addition to-not in place of-the impression you make in person. Search engines like Google are powerful, essential tools, but they’re not yet advanced enough to check your teeth for poppy seeds. Don’t get rid of your mirror just yet.