Recently we published a popular post entitled Watch Out! These 3 Social Media Landmines Destroy Careers. It’s a must-read for all job candidates who have social media accounts. Today we’ll focus on Facebook, the platform employers check most. According to Reppler, 91 percent of employers use social media to evaluate candidates, and 76 percent of these employers check Facebook pages.

According to Reppler, 91 percent of employers use social media to evaluate candidates, and 76 percent of these employers check Facebook pages.

Sneak in Through a Loophole (that you can fix right now)

You’ve locked employers out with your privacy preferences, so this article won’t really apply to you. You think. But it is interesting to learn about the scenarios you’ve already insulated yourself against, so you’re still here. That’s a good thing, because there is a loophole in Facebook’s privacy settings you should know about.

If Facebook has prompted you to confirm your phone number, you also may have agreed to be found through that number. Facebook allows everyone to read your entire feed when they come through this loophole. Everything your friends see, anyone else can see, which negates your privacy expectations. Many employers abide by your preferences, but employers do make a considerable investment when they bring in a new employee, so some do ALL of their research.

You can close this loophole by opening the advanced privacy option menu. Change the “Who Can Look Me Up?” setting from “everyone” to “friends” to ensure your privacy.

Find Instances of Irresponsibility and Indiscretions

Checking in after an Uber ride at 3 a.m. on a Saturday morning, flirtatious comments, or even negativity about a celebrity can turn off a potential employer. We should note that, legally, an employer cannot consider any learned information that would potentially lead to a discrimination claim on your part. But that would be hard for you to prove. Legally, a hiring decision cannot be based on your pregnancy status, ethnicity, religion, or political leanings.

A manager’s decision not to hire can be based on these Facebook findings:

• Contradictions between what you have represented to employers about your    background and qualifications and what you post on Facebook
• Complaints and negative information about your previous employers
• Too much or too little activity on Facebook or too many likes
• Overly personal revelations
• Texting language or inappropriate grammar
• Nude or lewd photos
• Photos depicting drug and alcohol abuse
• Bashing other people
• Racist, sexist, or other generally objectionable photos and comments

We don’t aim to protect anyone who engages in irresponsible or malicious online conduct. However, we do believe that benign posts like revelations about being heartbroken or political banter shouldn’t jeopardize employment—or leave a qualified applicant wondering if that’s why they weren’t hired.

The digital age has made the job-finding mission easier in some ways and much more complex in others. Social media, in particular, can be a tool in your arsenal, and one that can be used against you if you don’t have the proper defenses in place. Check your privacy settings and your posts to be sure nothing stands in the way of you and your next job!