The Best Way to Look for Work Online

Posted on Dec 2nd 2009, 03:57 pm, under Career Advice

The Internet is a truly powerful tool for finding information, and today's job hunters are fortunate to have it at their disposal. In fact, it's probably one of the first places you'll check when you start looking for work. If you really want to maximize your results when searching online for employment, here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Know your job sites.

There are three main job site categories that are of interest to job hunters. The first includes general job boards such as Indeed.com, and Yahoo HotJobs, where companies from diverse industries can post their openings online for public browsing. 

Then, there are industry-specific sites such as Legal Hire, Academic Employment Network, Careers In Business, and Empowering Health Jobs, which provide links to opportunities in a particular field.

Finally, area-specific sites like those of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce or FloridaJobs allow you to search for employment within a particular geographic region of the US or the world.

2. Use online networking services.

Getting in touch with people has never been easier with the advent of social networking, yet many job-seekers fail to maximize the potential of sites like Facebook, MySpace, Orkut, and LinkedIn. Don't forget that your relatives, friends, former officemates and other connections are all potential allies in your job search. 

And you don't have to stop there. Try to seek out industry connections using online services and get your name and resume out. Networking sites that cater directly to job-seekers include Real Contacts, Networking for Professionals, and ZoomInfo.

3. Never search using your work computer.

This should be a no-brainer, but sometimes temptation (or boredom) can be too great to resist. So we repeat: don't look for work on company time and using company equipment. It's unprofessional, and there's a greater risk nowadays that you'll get caught; many employers have begun to use software that tracks and records employee Internet usage.

Instead, do your job hunting after you get off from work, from an Internet cafe, from home, at a free Wi-Fi hotspot, or at your local library. And of course, never use your current work email account when sending applications or corresponding with potential employers.

4. Use resumes that are tailored to each job.

Never use a generic resume and cover letter when applying. Check the requirements of the position you're applying for, and make sure your resume lists the relevant keywords and skills that the employers want.

5. Focus your efforts when applying.

To save time and energy when job-hunting, you should identify a handful of openings that fit your experience and abilities well, and then prepare the best application possible for each of them. 

6. Avoid sending applications on weekends.

If you're currently working, it's only logical that you'll do most of your job hunting during your spare time, including weekends. This is good, but you should wait until weekdays to send your actual cover letter and application. A lot of spam is sent during weekends, and there's a greater likelihood that your letter will get lost when the HR manager's inbox is stuffed with junk email.