The latest from Reuters: According to a survey done by Careerbuilder.com, 22 percent of potential employers check the web identities of potential new hires. That’s up from 11 percent just two years ago. And what’s more, a third of the potential employees who are checked out online are ruled unacceptable for the job they want because of what their prospective bosses find. Suddenly, the line between work life and personal life has become more blurry than ever.

We all know that our private lives have become less private since the advent of blogging, social networking and our other Internet activities. Millions of us have profiles at sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Friendster, Cafemom… The list goes on. It’s easy to pretend that these profiles (and the photos, information and updates posted to them) are seen only by family and friends, but the reality is that public profiles are just that – public. And increasingly, employers are checking out these profiles in an effort to find out more about their job candidates than what appears on a resume.

It makes sense. Many people let their guard down in their profiles, posting photos of spring break or blog entries about questionable activities. In the past, there have been cases of people getting fired over what they’ve written in their blogs, but now, our social networking activities can sabotage our job chances before we even get in the door. Of the one-third of potential new hires who were dropped from consideration because of what a boss found out about them online, almost half were cut because of information about drugs or alcohol use. Other factors included lying about qualifications and posting about illegal activities. Why should your personal life matter, you might ask? According to the New York Times, what you post online says a lot about your judgment, maturity and professionalism. What you allow to be viewed by everyone says a lot about who you are, and sometimes, that’s too much information.

If you think that one out of five bosses is a fairly low number to be using this method of checking out a job candidate, consider this: another nine percent of bosses said that they were planning to start looking up candidates’ web presences in the future, and there’s every reason to believe that the numbers will continue to increase as social networking continues to expand. For many people, their “true selves” are online, and employers want to get to know these true selves before committing to offering a position. Each individual with a profile is leaving an “online footprint,” and for most of them, the photos and content posted will continue to exist online for a long time to come, potentially hurting their chances of getting or keeping a job.

Before you rush out and delete every social networking profile you have, though, remember that protecting your privacy (and projecting the best possible image of yourself) doesn’t have to mean vanishing into obscurity. After all, 24 percent of the bosses who checked out web profiles said that what they found actually SOLIDIFIED their decision to hire a candidate. So depending on what you put in your profile, you might actually help your cause. According to Reuters, “Top factors that influenced their hiring decision included candidate’s backgrounds supporting their qualifications for the job, proving they had good communications skills, and having a site that conveyed a professional image with a wide range of interests.”

The idea of using a web presence to increase one’s desirability in the job market is fast taking hold; 16 percent of job seekers surveyed said that they’ve already tweaked their profiles to make themselves more job-friendly, and some people are even going the route of hiring others to clean up their online selves for them. ReputationDefender.com charges a range of fees to do searches of job candidate names and help make sure that photos or content that can make someone look bad are not anywhere to be found via an online search for that person. DefendMyName.com is another source that works for both individuals and companies to clean up online image.

Want to do what you can to maintain your privacy AND your chance of getting that job? It’s in your hands to keep your privacy safe when using social networking sites or blogging software. First, Google yourself and see what comes up. In some cases, the results can make you look bad without cause; for example, one college senior who Googled himself discovered a satirical essay he had written, called “Lying Your Way to the Top,” which was probably counting against him in his job search. Once he requested that the website that posted the essay take it down, he started receiving job interviews and offers. Clearly, Googling oneself is like checking one’s credit periodically; it helps to know what’s on the record.

Next, go through your profiles with a fine-toothed comb, removing any questionable photos, comments, blog entries, etc. Remove any “friends” from your list who aren’t actually your friends or who might prove to be detrimental connections if seen by an employer (the guy with 1,800 “friends” whom you’ve never met who likes to leave raunchy messages on everyone’s profile might be someone to cut from your list). You can set your privacy settings so that only approved friends can see your profile, but some employers admit to knowing ways around that. Try to view your content from the perspective of someone who is looking to bring you into a workplace. If possible, have an impartial acquaintance view your profile with a fresh eye and let you know of anything that raises a red flag. Make sure to emphasize positives, like charity efforts, varied hobbies and interests, and especially anything that pertains to the field in which you’re trying to work.

Then, continue the upkeep of your profiles. Don’t approve friends for your list unless you actually know them or trust them. Be cautious of features like Facebook photo tagging, since that makes it possible for other people to post photos of you that link to your profile. Don’t post ranting blog entries that might paint you in a negative light. Remember, you control your privacy at social networking sites and blogs, so be proactive and put your best self out there.

Sources for this article: Reuters News, Reuters Lifestyle, The New York Times. CBS News