Can Facebook Posts Prevent You From Getting a Job?

When you apply to work for a big company, you're usually subjected to a whole gauntlet of screenings and background checks. They check everything: criminal records, credit reports, and now, even your Facebook account.

More and more companies are implementing social media checks on their prospective employees. Sites such as Social Intelligence scan the Internet for anything a potential hire may have posted anywhere within the last 7 years. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, even photos and videos you posted, it's all up for grabs and available for employers to examine.

And for some folks, what they post online could cost them a potential job.

Now, some people may cry out "invasion of privacy," but really, it's not. Once you put something on the Internet, it's out there for good, and it's out there for everybody to see, including potential employers. You decide what you put online, and if you make a bad decision, such as posting a racist remark or an inappropriate photo, you're just experiencing the consequences of your decision.

It just serves as another reminder to everyone: be careful what you post online.