Cybervetting: Is it legal?.

Savvy recruiters are increasingly looking for digital footprints to vet prospective candidates. In fact, many are including the question on their job applications: Are there any social media postings that might not align with our mission and culture?

Seventy-one percent of hiring leaders think that social media is an effective screening tool for job candidates, according to a survey from The Harris Poll. For those who use these background screenings, 55% have found content online that has caused them not to hire the applicant.

Is it legal? The short answer is yes. Some states even allow employers to solicit social media usernames and passwords from their workers.

What to look for:

* Racist, sexist, homophobic or otherwise bigoted content

* Unlawful activity

* Sexually explicit content

* Aggressive or violent behavior such as trolling.

Although you may want to Google a candidate's name after an interview, this can be risky because an in-depth look at a candidate's social media accounts may give you information that...