You’d like to think by now that everyone has figured out one of the great pitfalls of online living.

Sure it’s fun to go out and get rip-roaring drunk. But do you really need to blog about it the next day? Do you need to post half-naked photos of yourself on MySpace? And do you really need a screen/user name that sounds like something a 13-year-old boy came up with?

Of course not. If for no other reason than this: Potential employers aren’t going to be thrilled to see that sort of stuff when considering you for a job.  And more and more often, that’s exactly what they are doing.

A survey by job site CareerBuilder.com found that 22 percent of hiring managers use social networking sites like MySpace to do research on job candidates. That’s double the 11 percent who said the same thing in 2006.

And here’s the sobering part: 34 percent of the those inquisitive - and internet savvy managers - found something online that convinced them to eliminate a candidate from consideration.

Be silly. Be immature. Do crazy things on the weekend. Just don’t tell the world about it on Monday.

The site also offers some tips on how to avoid problems in the future, and maybe even deal with some from the past.

1) Clean up digital dirt. Make sure to remove pictures, content and links that can send the wrong message to a potential employer before you start your job search.

2) Update your profile regularly. Make sure to include specific accomplishments, inside and outside of work.

3) Monitor comments. Since you can’t control what other people say on your site, you may want to use the “block comments” feature.

4) Join groups selectively. While joining a group with a fun or silly name may seem harmless, “Party Monsters R Us” may not give the best impression to a hiring manager. Also be selective about who you accept as “friends.”

5) Go private. Consider setting your profile to “private,” so only designated friends can view it.