Social media is of interest to employers. A new survey by CareerBuilder found that 70% of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates (on par with a similar study last year), and 575 have found content that caused them not to hire a candidate.

The survey included a sample of more than 1,000 hiring managers and human resource professionals in the private sector.

It also found that 47% of employers say if they can’t find a job candidate online, they are less likely to call that person in for an interview. The reasons: 28% say they like to gather more information before calling in a candidate for an interview, 20% say they expect candidates to have an online presence.

Employers who use social networking sites to research job candidates are looking for:

• Information that supports their qualifications for the job: 58%

• If the candidate has a professional online persona: 50%

• What other people are posting about the candidate: 34%

• A reason not to hire the candidate: 22%

Examples of social networking site content that caused employers not to hire a person include when the candidate:

• Posted provocative or inappropriate photographs, videos or information: 40%

• Posted information about them drinking or using drugs: 36%

• Had discriminatory comments related to race, gender, religion, etc.: 31%

• Was linked to criminal behavior: 30%

• Lied about qualifications: 27%

• Had poor communication skills: 27%

• Bad-mouthed their previous company or fellow employee: 25%

• Had a screen name that was unprofessional: 22%

• Shared confidential information from previous employers: 20%

• Lied about an absence: 16%

• Posted too frequently: 12%

In addition, the survey found that 48% said they use social networking sites to research current employees, and 10% do so daily. And 34% found content online that caused them to reprimand or fire an employee.