Survey Says....

....."One in five bosses screen applicants' Web lives", according to a September 11 Reuters news story found here.

Specific findings:

• CareerBuilder.com survey of 3,169 hiring managers found 22 percent screened applicants via social networking profiles. (11% did so according to a 2006 survey.)
• 9% of managers said they don't do this kind of screening now but plan to start.
• 34% of managers who screen said they eliminated candidates as a result of their searches.
• Top area of concern: drinking and drug use.
  
• Next on the list: provocative or inappropriate photographs or information.
• Followed by poor communication skills, lying about qualifications, candidates using discriminatory remarks related to race, gender or religion, and an unprofessional screen name.
• On the other hand, 24% of managers who screen said their searches solidified candidates' prospects. Reasons given: good communications skills, professional image, wide range of interests.