Using Internet Technology for Career Search and Advancement
08. Nov, 2009 
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In this day when technological advances are occurring at lightning speed, the process of searching for a new job has moved away from the more traditional “classified section” job searching and towards electronic methods on the internet. The techniques used by job seekers in the past to apply for jobs are becoming obsolete, and therefore far less effective when trying to secure the position you seek. It is critical in the modern job market to understand the assortment of internet job seeking approaches and how to use them. These include online job listings, social networking specifically for career advancement, and navigating corporate websites to search for available jobs within a particular company. In fact, increasing numbers of employers are requiring potential candidates to fill out online applications directly from their websites and submit them electronically before they will even set up an interview.
Job Boards
When making use of these internet resources, one would likely begin by turning to electronic job posting boards such as Craigslist Jobs, CareerBuilder.com, and Monster.com. When used properly, these websites are a wonderful way to gain access to hundreds; if not thousands of job listings that are posted (and updated) daily. Most specific career hunting or job hunting websites allow you to do this a number of different ways. For instance, you can browse through a large selection of job listings, often for the whole country. If you are unwilling to relocate or if you are looking for something in particular, you can customize your search. You can also perform a search for a certain type of job, or a job in a certain industry. The sites also allow you to search for a job in a different region, to prepare yourself for a move or career change.
To be successful in the current job market, you need to know how to get the most from these career websites. Some of the sites allow you to search through job listings without having to create an account. However, if you find a job listing that you would like to apply for, you will need to create an account to continue. Once you create your account, the majority of the job board sites will require you to upload your resume, cover letter, and create a personalized profile to be a “first look” for the employers when choosing the candidates responding to the job postings. It is a very useful hiring method that encourages direct contact between qualified candidates and hiring managers, who have already had a first look at you through your profile. Often, in addition to postings directly from hiring companies, professional recruiters place available openings on these websites as well.
Recruiting companies are employed by individual clients to find successful matches for their open positions. Often recruiters use electronic job boards to search for candidates for those positions. Additionally, many career or job hunting websites will also allow their members to make their resumes searchable directly by employers who are looking for qualified candidates. In addition to the mainstream websites, there are also plenty of regional sites, and sites operated by businesses, affinity groups, and newspapers (which are currently trying to reinvent themselves and to resurrect the old fashioned classified ad).
Some of the job boards allow you to send out your resume to an entire category. The downside of doing this is that, should you get a call from one of those prospective employers, you’re not likely to know much about the company, or even know that you sent them a resume. For best results when using this method; search out job listings that interest you, research the company, and be prepared to discuss the listing should a hiring manager contact you. Prospective employers appreciate knowing that you have an interest in, and applied directly to, their company.
When using online job board websites, many job listings request that you apply for the job directly through the website. Before applying for any job, whether you find it online or not, you will want to make sure that you thoroughly read through all information given to you. There are a lot of false advertisements online, and malicious people trying to take advantage of naïve and desperate job seekers. Remember the old cliché’; “if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.” This is particularly true on the internet.
Despite an “apply now,” tab at the bottom of a job listing on a career hunting website, the employer in question may actually want you to send your resume as an email attachment, especially on websites like Craigslist which are less specific to employment, do not require an account to respond to all postings, and tend to attract more direct, non-recruiter posted listings. It is vital when using these types of websites to thoroughly read all of the information provided for you before you continue. Thinking through your actions on these sites before you hastily apply for any positions is very important to prevent yourself from looking foolish, careless, or being “tagged” as an applicant who does not follow directions. Every site works differently, and thus you need to familiarize yourself with each as individual website, rather than group them together and assume you know how to navigate one because you are proficient at another.
Social Networking Sites
Another means of merging the internet and your career search is making use of social networking websites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to link you to possible options. In our recent informative article entitled “Improving your job search through Social Networking”, we noted that increasing numbers of unemployed professionals and their prospective employers are realizing the benefits of social networking with regard to the job hunt. According to one recent survey, an astonishing 54 percent of Fortune 100 companies are now using Twitter and another 29 percent have an active Facebook page. When maintaining social media profiles on networking websites, you can not only connect with other people who can offer valuable advice, you can also connect directly with potential employers. Social networking job hunting has taken off so much so that recruiters are merging with networking sites to streamline job listings online to qualified applicants through Twitter on a new website called tweetajob.com.
Search Engines
You can also use search engines like Google, Yahoo!, and Ask.com to research companies of interest and familiarize yourself with their official websites before you apply for jobs and go on interviews. As stated earlier, it is important to display some knowledge of the company prior to your interview to indicate a specific interest in the job at the organization to which you are applying. Search results often yield information about the company of interest through news articles and reports.
Company Websites
Company websites often explain company history, provide information about their business, and summarize key points which are critical to know before an interview at the corporation. Many company websites frequently have a section devoted to posting available positions within the organization. Some groups also commonly require online applicants to apply to their posted positions directly through the website by filling out an online job application, uploading a resume, and creating an account through their website so that they can match applicants properly to their position. This account is usually available for each applicant to access individually, and monitor the status of the application. The process can range from taking a few minutes to a few hours to complete, depending on the nature of the desired position.
To summarize, by keeping all this in mind, you should be able to use professional career advancing websites, social networking, online research, and direct application of positions listed through company websites to your best advantage. In addition to CareerBuilder.com, Craigslist and Monster, Yahoo Hot Jobs, College Grad, The Ladders, and tweetajob.com are all sites where job listings can be found. Through careful application of these resources, it is very likely that you will be able to broaden your career search far beyond the limited positions to which you would have ordinarily had access. The traditional means of job seeking is evolving into a much more organized, and centralized process, where technology is matching applicants and hiring managers, candidates and positions better than ever before. If you learn how to efficiently navigate and utilize these systems, you will be ahead of the game and have an advantage in today’s competitive job market.
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