The days of printing and mailing hundreds of resumes are no longer here. The replacement is clicking and emailing through jobs posted on websites. An Internet job search still introduces new challenges, as job seekers must learn the rules of the road for that medium. Nevertheless, online job searches have broadened the horizons of millions of job seekers, allowing them access to a wide variety of job postings. Although searching for a job in any manner is never easy, having some background knowledge of an online job search goes a long way.
Applying for jobs online
Research, research, research
Finding a job online involves research and lots of it. This involves finding out what companies and industries are hiring in a certain area. Applicants will benefit from looking into the company to which they are applying; finding out the company motto, mission and belief statements can provide valuable information to include in a cover letter or bring up in an interview. It can also help someone know what traits to emphasize in a resume for a specific job. For example, if a company values teamwork, emphasizing past team-building experience can help an application stand out.
Find job contacts
Another step for applicants is to figure out who their contacts are. Even though this is an online job search, personal contact is not entirely precluded. If possible, always discover who the hiring manager is in order to provide a more customized opening to an application. In other words, directly addressing the hiring manager sounds a lot more personable than simply stating “To Whom It May Concern.”
Tailor resumes to specific jobs
The next step is to compile and fine-tune multiple resumes to use as application for jobs. In other words, it’s best not to send the exact same resume to every potential job. Online job searches heighten the need for a customized and powerful resume. Since applicants no longer need to consider whether sending a resume is worth cost of postage, it is extremely easy to simply upload and click. Therefore, applicants should know that hiring managers will be spending even less time with their resume than they would have in the past. This makes it all the more important to present a relevant resume in terms of what the hiring manager is looking to see as opposed to what the applicants wants to present.
Having a base template of past experiences, dates, skills, and other important information for a resume is a great place to start; this template can then be easily customized for a specific job.
Apply, apply, apply
A further step is to apply for as many jobs as possible. When job hunting is described as a numbers game, it is an entirely correct description. Since applying to jobs is easier than ever, that means there are likely to be more applications sent. This means that is more important than ever not only to tailor resumes to specific jobs in order to stand out, but also to apply for a greater number of jobs to improve the likelihood of being moved on to the next stage in the hiring process.
Top job posting websites and platforms
Monster
There are many sources of online job postings. Monster.com is one of the oldest and most reputable job websites in existence. Not only does Monster offer a large number of job listings, but it also offers networking opportunities to applicants. Monster is one of the more traditional job posting sites in the same genre as CareerBuilder. Those who have years of experience in online job searching know these sites and what they offer.
Indeed
If an applicant is looking for volume from a job website, then Indeed is a viable choice. This site is an aggregator that reports on jobs listed on multiple Internet sources. This site casts a wide net, which results in a large number of postings on the site. This site, however, largely just conveys the information to applicants. Indeed does not have many additional features that would assist job seekers, but it does have possibly the largest database of jobs on the Internet.
LinkedIn offers various methods for an applicant to make connections at a company with which they are seeking employment. Applicants can see if they have any connections at the company through LinkedIn profiles, so they are able to reach out and message someone at the company. This platform also allows job seekers to move beyond the regular “submit and wait” exercise that job applications have become. The platform allows for two-way communication between the applicant and company. There is also an Easy Apply option, which allows users to have pre-uploaded documents, like a resume, easily submitted to some job postings to make the application process even simpler and quicker.
ZipRecruiter
This major job board charges companies a monthly fee to post their jobs. The advantage of ZipRecruiter for applicants is that it allows them to apply for multiple jobs easily within minutes. For applicants looking to get job applications out there in large quantities, this site is a viable option.
