Your Next Facebook Post Might Cost You Your Job

Woah, hold on. Are you sure you want to post your wild photos from your awesome, loud Friday night at the club?

According to Jobvite’s Social Recruiting Survey, at least 52% of the 1,884 recruiters who participated in the survey check the online profiles of candidates during the application process. (Staff.com, on the other hand, reports a much higher number, saying that 3 out of 4 hiring and recruitment managers check the social media profiles of candidates even if the links aren’t provided.)

Out of all the social media channels, employers look at LinkedIn (92%), Facebook (66%), and Twitter (52%) the most. LinkedIn profiles are also the most searchable when it comes to looking for a candidate’s work experience online.

The survey also mentions that 1 out of 3 recruiters were able to find information online that made them look at a candidate more positively, while 23% said that social media was directly responsible for convincing them to hire a candidate at all.

Jobvite also warns about “zombie content,” information that you posted online long ago and have forgotten about, so make sure you clean up your profile presence well.

However, while you still shouldn’t post your drunken photos on Facebook after a Friday night out, job seekers should also focus on building online profiles that best showcase their skills and experience in the workplace. According to Greg Simpson, senior vice president at recruitment consultancy firm Lee Hecht Harrison, “Job seekers who are silent or invisible online may be at a disadvantage. They need to engage on social networking sites to increase their visibility and searchability with prospective employers.”

Check out what else Jobvite has to say about how social media affects your job hunt:

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