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In the past, certain mistakes remained largely unspoken of embarrassments, but not anymore. Now, a digital camera is practically always within range.

Couple this fact with internet social media pages and thoughtless moments can be magnified a million times.

Employers have long used the credit reporting system to help screen job applicants. Now, that investigation into finances can extend to social media history.

Some companies are advertising a more in-depth investigation beyond the commonplace Google search.

Information they find about certain habits, remarks or workplace grumblings could come back to bite applicants.

Executive recruiter Fran Pomerantz of The Pomerantz Group, LLC says silly, half-remembered activities from the past can present real problems today.

“I think that, in terms of privacy, I’m not sure that word will be in the dictionary for much longer,” says Pomerantz. “I think we’ve abdicated a lot of our rights for privacy for sharing information.”

Pomerantz says there's a two-step process to dealing with negative social media.

First, find it before someone else does.

“You really need to know if there is something in particular when you meet with an employer and you’re interested in an opportunity,” said Pomerantz.”

That can be done with a Google search or on the social media sites themselves. Take it all on openly and honestly.

“It’s just like your resume,” said Pomerantz. “What did you do honestly? How did you do it? What were the things that you learned from, what were the highlights, what were problems? And unfortunately or fortunately, we’re now exploring the personal part of your life you share with friends, and that’s now part of who you are in public, so you need to view it that way.”