More than one third of employers, 35%, reported they are less likely to interview job candidates if they are unable to find information about that person online, according to CareerBuilder’s annual social media recruitment survey. The survey also found 35% of employers who screen via social networks have sent friend requests or followed candidates that have private accounts, and most are granted permission.

Employers who use social networking sites to research job candidates is also on the rise, up significantly to 52% from 43% last year and 39% in 2013’s survey.

“Researching candidates via social media and other online sources has transformed from an emerging trend to a staple of online recruitment,” said Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer at CareerBuilder. “In a competitive job market, recruiters are looking for all the information they can find that might help them make decisions. Rather than go off the grid, job seekers should make their professional persona visible online, and ensure any information that could dissuade prospective employers is made private or removed.”

Hiring managers in IT and financial services are the most likely to use social networks to screen candidates, while retail had the lowest share:

• Information technology: 76%
• Financial services: 64%
• Sales: 61%
• Professional and business services: 54%
• Manufacturing: 49%
• Healthcare: 49%
• Retail: 46%

This survey was conducted online within the US by Harris Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder among 2,175 hiring and human resource managers and 3,105 employees. It was conducted between Feb. 11 and March 6, 2015.