Gone are the days when all job seekers had to worry about were their résumés and cover letters. Today, those documents remain a staple of the job-search process, but they are joined by a growing phenomenon: social networking.

Of those who conduct online searches/background checks of job candidates, 29 percent use Facebook, 26 percent use LinkedIn and 21 percent use MySpace. One-in-ten (11 percent) search blogs while 7 percent follow candidates on Twitter.

Additionally, 16 percent of workers have used similar social networking sites as part of their job search.

While social networking is a great way to make connections with potential job opportunities and promote one's personal brand, job seekers must ensure they are using these sites to their advantage by conveying a professional image and underscoring their qualifications.

Many job seekers seem to be doing this, as 18 percent of employers said they found content on social networking sites that encouraged them to hire the candidate. Some examples include:

• Profile provided a good feel for the candidate's personality and fit within the organization -- 50 percent


• Profile supported candidate's professional qualifications -- 39 percent


• Candidate was creative -- 38 percent


• Candidate showed solid communication skills -- 35 percent


• Candidate was well-rounded -- 33 percent


• Other people posted good references about the candidate -- 19 percent


• Candidate received awards and accolades -- 15 percent

Many job seekers, however, are doing the opposite and not being mindful at all of the content they're posting online.

Why employers disregard candidates after screening online

Thirty-five percent of employers reported they have found content on social networking sites that caused them not to hire the candidate, including:

• Candidate posted provocative or inappropriate photographs or information -- 53 percent


• Candidate posted content about them drinking or using drugs -- 44 percent


• Candidate bad-mouthed their previous employer, co-workers or clients -- 35 percent


• Candidate showed poor communication skills -- 29 percent


• Candidate made discriminatory comments -- 26 percent


• Candidate lied about qualifications -- 24 percent


• Candidate shared confidential information from previous employer -- 20 percent

Here are five tips for job seekers to keep a positive image online:

1. Clean up digital dirt before you begin your job search. Remove any photos, content and links that can work against you in an employer's eyes.

2. Consider creating your own professional group on sites like Facebook or BrightFuse.com. It's a great way to establish relationships with leaders, recruiters and potential referrals.

3. Keep gripes offline. Keep the content you post focused on positive things, whether it's related to professional or personal information. Make sure to highlight specific accomplishments inside and outside of work.

4. Be selective about whom you accept as friends. Don't forget others can see your friends when they search for you. Monitor comments made by others and consider using the "block comments" feature. Even better, set your profile to "private" so only designated friends can view it.

5. If you're still employed, don't mention your job search in your Tweets or status updates. There are multiple examples of people who have gotten fired as a result of doing this. In addition, a potential employer might assume that if you're willing to search for a new job on your current company's time, why wouldn't you do so on theirs?