A new survey by The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service providing marketing, advertising, creative and web professionals on a project basis, has shown that about 50 percent of 250 advertising and marketing executives recently polled said they search online for information about prospective hires at least some of the time. Among those, 14 percent have decided not to hire someone based on their findings.

Advertising and marketing executives were asked, “How frequently, if at all, do you use Google or another search engine to learn additional information about a prospective hire?” Their responses: Always 19%, Sometimes 31%, Rarely 24%, Never 24%, and Don’t know 2%.

“Employers aren’t just looking for red flags. They’re also seeking evidence that a potential staff member is invested in the profession, perhaps through participation in trade groups, or industry blogs or message boards,” said Dave Willmer, executive director of The Creative Group.

There are different options for applicants interested to take this trend seriously. The Creative Group recommends that you build your professional profile at Zoominfo, be active in social networking sites like LinkedIn.com, post comments in blogs related to your industry, and create your own website.

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