Companies are adding formal social media evaluations to the list of factors that could disqualify candidates, but candidates are catching on, according to new data from the 2018 MRINetwork Reputation Management Study.

The study found a growing number of employers, 18%, are formalizing their process of reviewing candidate social media profiles, and another 17% are considering doing so in the future.

Questionable content or behavior is the top activity that employers look for, cited by 39% of respondents. Active engagement in trade or professional associations, and offensive social or political views, are other focal points at the top of employers’ lists, cited by 27% and 19% of respondents respectively.

Candidates, however, are savvy to these employer evaluations and know what employers are looking for. Nearly half of candidates surveyed, 48%, believe their social media presence is important or very important to potential employers. Seventy percent of candidates said questionable content or behavior was the biggest red flag.

To ensure their social media interactions don’t harm their job search, candidates often set their profiles to private or develop separate professional accounts to attract the attention of recruiters and hiring authorities, according to the report. Many applicants recognize a smart social media strategy can improve their odds of gaining an interview, while a weak social media presence can cause them to be ignored by potential employers.

Providing strict guidelines around online searches helps outline how employers should use social media in the hiring process, the report noted. They cannot, for example, allow protected characteristics including age, sex, race, color, religion and national origin to influence their decision to recruit a candidate.