Have you ever been frustrated at the lack of job possibilities advertised in the classified section of your local newspaper? Large papers may offer more choices, but you will still be limited by the number of openings listed at any one time, not to mention geographical limitations. Even at its best, this approach just won't cut it anymore. Searching through the classifieds may have been good enough at one time, but today that's about as progressive as pounding out a resume on a manual typewriter. With an impressive array of Internet resources just a few mouse clicks away, your computer is the ticket to that next great job.
As any human
resources officer can tell you, the use of the PC as a job search tool has
become the norm in the last few years. This includes creative use of e-mail and
the Internet, as well as the taking advantage of the capability of any computer
for use in producing resumes, letters and other job-related materials.
The Cyber Job Solution
For many employers
and job hunters, the Internet has become the common denominator. It connects
people from both ends of the hiring equation with ease. Employers can post job
openings with the knowledge that they will be available to large numbers of job
applicants. At the same time, job seekers can easily explore possibilities for
all kinds of jobs offered by companies, government agencies, non-profits and
other employers. They can also submit resumes and applications electronically.
A major advantage
of this approach is that it breaks down geographical barriers. Instead of being
restricted to job openings listed in your community or the region covered by
local media, your search can include any number of cites or states, or the
entire country, for that matter. You can also pursue career interests in other
countries, if that sounds appealing.
Another plus is
that the use of online communication is less intrusive than traditional
methods. If you're already employed, you can spend time during nights and
weekends perusing sites maintained by employers or job search companies,
posting resumes and more, all without conflicting with your current job. If you
don't have a position, you can work to maintain an electronic presence that far
surpasses the scope of other job-hunting techniques.
Even if you're tied
to a specific location and are only interested in local employment, you'd find
plenty of information available online. Many newspapers now include Web-based versions,
as do state and local employment offices. You can also visit Websites of area
employers for job-related information. In fact, regardless of location, one of
simplest approaches is simply to peruse websites of possible employers to look
for postings and related information. In looking such a site, you will probably
see a heading "jobs" or "position openings." Click here.
you will see a list of current jobs openings along with the qualifications for
each one, the application deadline and other relevant details.
Not all companies
offer a well-developed Websites, but most large organizations provide updated
information about job openings. The practice has become so common, in fact,
that many small businesses and non-profits also offer some type of job
information.
In addition to
finding information directly related to jobs, you can conduct Internet-based
research about potential employers. Obviously the more you know about a
prospective employer the better, from determining the kinds of job openings to
boning up on the organization's background so you can individualize cover
letters or resumes. The employer's Website can often be a great source of such
information. If you browse the main page for any but the smallest business or
non-profit organization you will find links to items such as news releases,
annual reports, earnings reports, executive bios and contact info for company
personnel.
You can also obtain
corporate profiles from third party business information services such as
Hoover's (www.hoovers.com). And don't overlook sites that provide salary
information such as next Source's People Ticker (www.peopleticker.com), those
maintained by professional associations and the Bureau of Labor Statistics site
at www.bls.gov.
Career Site Solutions
Perhaps the
ultimate in Web-based career information is available at a number of
comprehensive sites designed specifically to serve job seekers, employers or
both. For example, Monster.com (www.monster.com) connects users to hundreds of
thousands of job openings. You can create a free account and then take
advantages of a number of helpful options. Once you provide information about
your particular job interests, e-mail messages about job openings matching your
interests will be automatically mailed to you. You can also search online for
jobs of interest, and also create resumes for use in applying online for job
openings.
In addition to all
this, the site offers extras such as the ability to research companies, network
with others, and obtain free advice on writing resumes, preparing for
interviews, negotiating salaries and more. You can also sign up for fee-based
services in these and other areas of career development. Career Journal,
offered by the Wall Street Journal at www.careerjournal.com, provides daily
updates as well as thousands of archived articles on news, trends and topics
related to career advancement. It also features a searchable database of job
postings from top companies in areas such as senior and general management,
sales, marketing, finance and technology. Basic access is free, but users also
have an opportunity to subscribe to WSJ.com, which offers additional resources
including an extensive list of "briefing books" providing complete
detailed background on a given company's business and recent news.
The Career Journal
site also features a confidential resume" database. Here you may create a
brief profile or use online instructions to create a full-fledged resume',
choosing from a number of formats.
Employers Online (www.employersonline.com)
serves employers, recruiters and job seekers by posting both jobs and resumes.
It focuses on sales/marketing, computer/IT, medical/professional,
engineering/technical and management/executive positions. Those seeking jobs
may submit resumes which are entered into a database for viewing by employers
and recruiters across the country. Services include access to jobs posted on
the site, tips on writing resumes and handling interview questions, and more
you can search the database at no cost. Registration is required to post a
resume, but that process is also free.
Other useful sites
include HotJobs (www.yahoo.hotjobs.com), CareerBuilder.com
(www.careerbuilder.com), America's Job Bank (www.jobsearch.org) and Career.com
(www.career.com). Some sites, such as that offered by Quintessential Careers
(www.quintcareers.com), serve as portals to others, in this case offering links
to "the top 10 job Websites for job-seekers." Another is AllJobSearch
(www.alljobsearch.com), which acts as a comprehensive, easily used job search
engine. All you do is key in a word or phrase (such as administrative assistant
or sales manager) and then indicate whether you want to search Websites,
newspapers or newsgroups. Next you specify geographic preferences, job type
(such as full time, contract, part time or internship), posting dates ranging
from one day to thirty days, and job category. Here the choices range from
"all categories" to specific areas such as accounting, architecture,
biotech and real estate. Once you click on the search key, the engine takes you
to a listing of all job openings matching that profile.
The services
offered by job sites vary considerably. Some are free, while others are
fee-based. Typically, the more basic services will cost nothing, but you will
have the option to purchase additional services such as job counselling, resume
development and career interest profiles.
One strategy is to
use services that broadcast your resume to multiple sources. At
www.blastmyresume.com, you can instantly e-mail your resume to thousands of
recruiters, head-hunters and employers. While the jury is still out on just how
effective this approach will prove to be, it does offer the advantage of
putting your resume into play on a more diverse basis than would be possible by
using regular mail. A fee is charged, but it's much less than comparable
postage costs for mailing hard copies.
The Resume Development Solution
Of course, your
computer can do much more than simply help you find jobs. It's also a great
tool for preparing resumes, cover letters, portfolios or other documents.
Conventional wisdom
makes clear that a resume, won't get you a job-just the chance to sell yourself
through an interview. Fortunately, the resources available through your PC can
help here, too. With Microsoft Word or any other word processing software, you
can create professional looking resumes and cover letters that once would have
required the skills of a highly skilled typist. Once a basic resume has been
developed, you can revise it as often as needed, print any number of copies, or
transmit it electronically to potential employers. You can also create
individualized versions adapted to appeal to specific employers, or emphasize
different qualifications for different types of positions in which you might be
interested.
An alternative is
to use software. A package that includes a resume writing program, sample
resumes, key phrases that can be added to the resume, a letter-writing program
and sample cover letters.
You can also take
advantage of the resume-building services offered at broad-based career sites
or those specializing in online resume development. An example of the latter is
TotalResume.com (www. totalresume.com), a fee-based service that allows you to
create a resume by using templates accessed online. In this process, you
complete forms by filling in your own unique personal and professional
information while taking advantage of useful action words and phrases,
spellchecking, previews of your resume, and the chance to view sample resumes.
Once the resume is
completed, you can download it as a Word document, email it to potential
employers and add a cover letter. You can also maintain it on site, update it
as needed, and make it available as a Web page.
So, you can see
that your computer can be a very powerful tool in aiding you in your job
search. Use your computer effectively
and you will find your job search efforts rewarded to your satisfaction.
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