December 2004
Reflections on Online Job Searching
Over the Past Four Years
By
President of Workforce Associates
and author of
NetWork: Maximizing Your Career Resources on the Internet
Available online and in print from Author House
It’s hard to believe but you and I are celebrating four years’ worth of information, amazing developments, and lots of email exchanges regarding using the Internet in a job search. But instead of pushing the frontiers of knowledge even farther this month, I’ve decided to take a retrospective look at my very first article in December 2000. This has been an embarrassing task since my writing style was pretty crude and the topic of conversation was also in its infancy.
As you may recall, I covered the criteria to look for in an effective online job searching site. At that time, there were some 13,000 sites that were devoted to job searching. Now, of course, there is a plethora of affiliated sites that offer career advice and related information about companies and industries. And we can’t ignore the fact that practically every individual company has its own career section on its website. Plus the fact that nearly every newspaper and professional and trade association also offer information about job opportunities or contract work. This all adds up to roughly an infinite number of sites that can be claimed as being job search related. Pretty impressive growth within a four year period!
Okay, with all of these job searching websites and related ones, what are the criteria that you still need to be aware of when checking out a job search website?
First, take a close look at the site’s home page. Some sites include job listings, a resume database, employer profiles and additional job-search information such as articles on interviewing and networking. From this, you can decide quickly whether to explore beyond the front page. You should be able to easily find a way to search for the jobs you want - specifying the location and the type of job (by keyword or some other method of choosing). When you've found a job you like, it should be easy for you to apply for it. If you want to post your resume, that should be an easy process, too. And there should be easy-to-follow directions in case you get lost or confused.
If you feel inept or uncomfortable using a site, don't use it, no matter how "famous" or highly recommended it is. You and the site may just not click and you won't be able to leverage its capabilities. So, don't waste your time. Move on to one that is easy for you to use.
Be impatient. By this I mean if you are only interested in jobs in Boston, the job site should show you jobs in this geographic area, if it has any. Some large employers have jobs open in many locations, so you may get a few jobs in your initial search results that don't appear to be specifically in the geography you want. But most of them should fit your search criteria. If the results don't match what you have requested, check for hints or help and read them before you try again. Typically, on a search engine or other search site, your first few searches should help you understand better how to use the search capability so that you can get what you want.
If you still don't get what you want after 4 or 5 tries, then either the site does not have the jobs you want or the search function doesn't work properly. Move on to a website that gives you the results you want — quickly. Don't waste your time and risk your privacy by posting your resume and hoping some appropriate jobs appear at some later date.
Be date sensitive. Look for posting dates for each job announcement. If dates aren’t included, look for information about how long announcements are retained so you know how often the database is cleaned. Be a little suspicious if the jobs are undated or if all the jobs were posted "today." Certainly a job posted last week, last month, or even last quarter may still be open and may be just the right job for you. However, in general, you should see jobs with a wide range of dates and, depending on the size of the site, several new jobs posted each week day.
If posting dates aren't obvious, check the "Employers" section of the website. Frequently, the pricing section will explain how long a job posting will remain active. Job postings are usually purchased for 30 or 60 days, sometimes longer so that's usually the oldest age of any job posting you may see.
Take advantage of email agents. Email agent functions typically compare your requirements with new employer job postings and send you the results via email if they find a match. This means that you don't need to revisit the site yourself and run your search. Your "agents" will do the searching for you, and send you the results. You may need to return to the site to get the details about the job and to apply for it through the job site but the search process is on automatic pilot — a very helpful feature.
Next, before you submit your document or pay for services, determine who owns the job search website. Learn about the site’s history and reputation among other job seekers in your field. Also check out the website’s areas of expertise, whether it may be resume preparation, career counseling, recruiting, etc. Look for a name, mailing address, phone number and an e-mail address. Find out how long they’ve been in business, the services they offer and who their clients are. If you can’t locate information about who runs the site, write and ask them for it. Most legitimate websites will respond within a day or two. If you don’t get a response, reconsider using the site in your job search. After all, you have thousands of choices!
Very rarely should a job seeker pay for access to open jobs, online or offline. In general, if there is a charge to the job seeker, find another site. The only online exceptions that are legitimate are the websites of professional associations and societies. These sites may provide job opportunities only for members. In that case, you may want to join, if you are interested in the association anyway.
Check out how many and how long your variations of resumes will be retained for a specific length of time. You must be able to delete your resume when you want to. Before you post your resume, check to make sure that you can delete it later. If you cannot find instructions for deleting your resume, email the site for directions. If you are not satisfied that you can delete your information, don't post your resume to that website.
Read before you click. Look for a Privacy Policy on the website and READ IT before you register at a job site. The privacy policy should disclose to you the information that the site collects and what they do with it such as sell or rent your email address, etc. Some alleged job sites seem to exist only to collect your contact information such as email address, home address, phone number, etc. so that they can sell the information to companies that will bombard you with advertising. Remember that you are providing a lot of very personal information to job websites so you need to know how it will be used.
Be sensitive to the confidentiality issue. This is one of the biggest changes that has occurred within the last four years regarding using the Internet in your job search. Whether the result of 9.11 or the increased possibilities for folks to misuse other’s information, privacy issues have become more important. Here are some new tips that you need to consider when using an online job search website:
- Do not use a job-search web site that doesn't post a privacy policy that explains how the site will handle your personal data. Read the policy, then print a copy and keep it in your records.
- Set your browser so that it does not accept third-party cookies. If your computer picks up third-party cookies, delete them.
- Do not list the following information on your resume: bank account numbers, credit card numbers, or your mother's maiden name. You may supply your Social Security number or date of birth to a serious employer after you have engaged in the interview process.
- Look for ads with a company-related e-mail address to send your resume to or post your resume directly to the company's web site.
- Keep records of where you have posted your resume. Return to those sites and delete your resume when your job search is complete.
- Do not assume that a TRUSTe, BBBonline, or other "privacy seal" program ensures that your privacy is protected. Those seals only indicate that the site has agreed to be audited in their compliance with their posted policy.
Let me end with my favorite job search related websites that were around four years ago and have done nothing but get better since December 2000:
www.craigslist.org Since its inception as a plain-Jane site that covered IT positions in the Bay area, Craig Newmark has expanded his site to cover dozens of cities in lots of different occupations with additional matchmaking for apartments, dating possibilities for all lifestyles, etc.
www.chronicle.com Another winner if you’re a professional in any field around the US. Includes positions in all academic fields as well as research institutions, educational institutes, etc. for you to consider.
www.rileyguide.com The mother of all online job searching guides since 1994, Margaret Riley-Dickel offers sage advice and links to a never ending list of websites that are job related.
www.asaenet.org Here’s where you can find association and professional societies that cover more than 800 fields of interests. Associations are a perfect place to find niche job openings in your field and contract work possibilities.
www.monster.com It would be folly to ignore the importance of Monster and its impact on the online job searching scene, especially the fact that flipdog’s fun features have been incorporated into it. In addition, there is lots of solid career advice and a good section on freelancing and entrepreneurial possibilities.
www.careerbuilder.com Here is a powerful website that combines the classified sections of more than 200 newspapers around the country to help you find jobs in a multitude of fields. Easy to use and very comprehensive.
www.weddles.com Peter Weddle offers a powerful email newsletter and many publications that address the latest issues and trends in online job searching. While his focus is mainly concerned with the perspective of recruiters and employers, you can learn a great deal about what they are looking for, if you’re a savvy job searcher.
www.coolworks.com CoolWorks makes it possible to realize your Walter Mitty dreams to work at a dude ranch, amusement park, scenic national park, or favorite zoo, whether you’re young or young at heart. Always fun to click and find out what’s the latest in the unusual workplace.
All the best for the holiday season!
Jane M. Lommel, Ph.D.
jlommel@WorkforceAssociates.com
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