Evaluating Job Searching Websites

At last count, there are something in the order of 13,000 specific job searching websites . . . everything from butcher.com to baker.com to candlestickmaker.com to very unusual sites like cruelworld.com and coolworks.com to all encompassing sites like flipdog.com to regional sites like craigslist.org. Add to these another 35,000 corporation websites with their own job opportunities sections and you can see quickly that this is a fast growing field on the Internet!

It’s impossible to check out all these sites, obviously, but it is important when looking at the ones closest to your area of interest to evaluate whether and how well they’ll work for you in your own job search.

All job searching sites are not created equally so I decided to kick off this series about online job searching trends and tips by alerting you to the many criteria that should be included in an effective job searching site. If you don’t find at least 80% of the following criteria on a job site, move on! There are at least 12,999 more to try!

Salary, Labor Market Information Data: Should be included or have links to a list of relevant sites.

Job Database: Vast and current with direct links to employers plus links to community boards such as Vault.com and WetFeet.com, links to relevant professional associations, and many online training sites.

Resume Creation:?Easy — but not sophisticated. Basically a cut-&-paste format for the resume and cover email letter to the HR director. Should have links to websites that help you devise your electronic resumes. Everyone should have at least 5!

Personalization: At a glance, you should be able to see how many jobs match your criteria, how many employers have viewed your resume, and whether you have a profile and resume onsite. You can receive a newsletter and a daily list of job-postings emailed to you.

Skill-matching: None in the vast majority but this capability will be found in the next generation of job searching sites with Work Keys, for example, and technical and other professional certifications. Links to online assessment tools such as Myers-Briggs, Holland, Birkman, etc.

DESIGN

Layout: Well-organized, lots of white space, clear sense of information hierarchy. Pages are lean and one feature is focused on per page: jobs. Great interface for the job searching section and simple 1-2-3 format to look at relevant jobs.

Graphics: Minimal uses of graphics but the ones used are well done. Lots of white space — designed for fast downloading, even at dial-up connection speeds. Fun and creative.

Navigation: Very simple and very focused. Each section has only a few features on them, therefore it’s very easy to know where you are at all times and to jump around from section to section.

PERSONALIZATION

Personal Start Page: Should have a "My Account" section that you can easily access.

Passive vs. Active Search: Many job seekers are doing initial research about possible new job opportunities. Therefore, it is important to have the option to NOT have one’s resume sent to an employer as a "passive" job candidate. A job candidate should be able to change from being an active candidate to passive one and back at the click of a button.

Email Newsletter: Easy to sign up from home page. There should also be a link to free email websites so that a job candidate can have multiple emails to respond to employers’ inquiries.

Saved Searches: Can be saved as part of your personal profile.

Personal Search Agent: Search agents search daily job postings that match the criteria you indicate on your profile (i.e. city, occupation, employer, keywords) and emails you a list of job postings

The section where you fill in your profile should feature a very helpful and well-done information box that instructs you every step of the way.

JOB POSTING FUNCTIONALITY

Customization: You can customize several job-searching agents and specify particular locations, job categories, specific employers, and keywords.

Ability to search various fields and markets: You can search various locations at one time and various occupations

RESUME FUNCTIONALITY

Resume creation: You cut & paste your existing resume. There should be resume wizards to guide you through.

Resume Distribution: Employers should be able to review your resume online.

Cover Letter: Should have simple cut & paste capability with the ability to save more than one version of the cover letter in your personal section of the website.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Customer Support: Provides a link for customer support where it gives an 800 number and the hours it operates (M-F 6am-6pm, EST). It also provides email and snail mail contact info.