Online Job Hunting

I have been fortunate enough to receive a PDF file written by the staff of Robert Half International.  It's about a year old but the information should most definitely be useful.  It goes through the do's and don'ts of online job hunting, which is most certainly gaining popularity.  My objective is to share the main points as I have read the document in hopes that it will help you do better in your search for employment.  If most of you are like me, my full time job right now is "looking for a job".  There is a lot more than meets the eye to consider when looking for a job online.

            By now we should all know that searching for a job is a numbers game.  Taking this into consideration, identifying as many opportunities as possible is of utmost importance.  Business contacts are the best method.  This is tough for me because I am in the middle of a career change and am fairly new to the professional world of Technology.  I am trying to start a career in Information Technology.  There are alternate ways to keep up with the job search.  Two key elements are "casting a wide net" and "surf to specialized sites". 

            Many of us start our search by going to major job boards like careerbuilder.com or monster.com. However, limiting yourself to these can hurt in the long run because those jobs are highly publicized, which means you are likely to be up against many others for the position.

            Staffing firms that specialize in a industry is a must.  They are well organized and behind the job listings are recruiters who have business relationships with the employers. Staffing companies can also have access to job openings that are not posted anywhere else. For example, since I am an IT professional, I often visit the websites of TEKsystems, KForce, and Apex Systems.  These are staffing companies that specialize in jobs in technology.

            It is a good idea to start networking with professionals over the internet.  Linkedin.com is gaining popularity but social sites like facebook.com and myspace.com can also help. To get the most out of internet networking you want to practice good Tech etiquette, befriend with care, and hunt from home.

            When trying to approach someone for the first time, you don't want to "freak them out!! "  Address them by name, how you found them, who you are, and why you want to connect.  Best practice would be if you have a shared connection or mutual friend that they can reference you to.  Mind your manners and don't hide your career related motives.  Use spell check.  I hear this from everyone. The last thing you want to do is make your first impression with devastating grammatical errors.  I've been through this and mistakes take away from any point you are trying to get across.

            Use caution when accepting invitations.  Some people may have a poor professional reputation and you wouldn't want potential employers contacting them as a reference. Also, some people send out invitations based on criteria that you might meet just to gain a contact.

            An important thing to remember is that you should keep your job search personal.  If you are currently employed the company has the right to monitor websites and emails if it is done on there equipment.

            Realize how easily you can research a company over the web because an employer can learn about you in the same manner. Be wary of what is public on the web about you.  Here are some preventative measures to make sure you don't damage your job prospects: do a thorough self search, try to take action, and don't be your own worst enemy.

            Typing in your name in multiple search engines will bring up websites that might have information or images of you.  Make sure that everything is appropriate in the public eye and especially the eye of potential employers.

            If you find anything that you feel might jeopardize your credibility, contact the site owner or webmaster to get it removed.  Basically do everything in your power to get this accomplished. ReputationDefender.com is a service that works to get unwanted content removed for you.

            If you keep you own website or blog make sure that there isn't anything you wrote that might be a conflict of interest. Delete if necessary. Social networking sites are going to be more common for seeking job candidates.

            While you are focused on looking for a job, remember that there are people out there looking for your information to be fraudulent.  Identity theft is a big deal.  Before posting a resume online think about this: keep things to yourself and be wary of "phishy" business. 

            It is understood that you need to list contact information.  This does not have to be your address and for sure never put your birth day or social security number on your resume.

            Phishers are scammers that send out legitimate looking emails but ask for personal info.  No real employer will ask for that type of information via email.

            Once you are actually ready to apply for jobs, take this advice: take aim, do your homework, a brave new job hunting world, and stay in touch.

            Don't use the same resume for every company you apply to.  Take time to tailor resume to meet each companies needs. Don't be afraid to use keywords as a lot of places have special software to scan documents for keywords as part of the filtering process.

            Take time to learn a little about the company you are applying to.  Go to their website and check the about us section or the news section and use your findings to customize your resume.

            A relatively new approach is to email a video resume.  This is very possible with today's technology and puts a face to your name.

            After you have applied for a job, give a follow call.  Make sure they received your resume and state your interest in the position. Contact by phone or email and avoid text messaging.

            Online job hunting is a great tool, but make sure you are networking at business related events and elsewhere. If you would like to see the whole article and I highly recommend that you do because there is a lot of information that is not in this summary, go to Google and type in RHI_1108_OnlineJobHunt.  There is only 10 postings and I am pretty sure they all lead to the same PDF file.

Happy Job Hunting