Job Searching 101: Job Searching Online

January 19, 2008

Presenter: Donna Brice, Director

What We Will Cover in this Workshop

The Traditional Job Search Job Search Strategies Types of Online Job Sites Choosing a Online Job Site: Questions to Think About The "Dirty Dozen" Online Search Mistakes Online Job Search Gadgets and Widgets Create Your Resume Online Posting Your Resume Online Make Your Resume “Cyber-Safe” Virtual Career Fairs Personal Online Resume Websites Online Job Search Resources

The Traditional Job Search

Newspaper Classified Ads: Reading and responding to local and regional

newspaper classified employment or "help wanted" ads.Industry Publications: Reading and responding to employment ads, related to

your field of interest, in industry publications such as directories, trade journals, and newsletters.

Recruiters: Contacting recruiters, executive search firms, also

known as "headhunters," and employment agencies. Walk-in: Dropping off your resume in person can sometimes be

effective, particularly with local small companies and start-ups.

Job Search Strategies

Self-Assessment – Riley Guide, http://www.rileyguide.com/assess.html

Research and evaluation of career fields – Occupational Outlook, http://www.bls.gov/OCO/

Networking with alumnae and personal contacts in the field – read local new articles

Select a few Job Sites to Use - It has been estimated that there are 80,000 Web job sites.

Identification of employers and job opportunities How much time can I realistically devote to my

job search?

Job Search Strategies, cont.

Manage Your Time Online Visit the large information databases first. Move on to the smaller, more exclusive resources and

services, including online resource guides and sites dedicated to your field or industry.

Use the search engines to locate new and hidden resources specific to your occupation and field.

Check out employer’s website for job listings. Shut off the computer and spend some time with your

family, friends, and yourself. If I’m procrastinating in my job search, why? How

can I overcome this/these barrier(s)? Whom can I seek out for support with my job

search?

Types of Online Job Sites

Super Sites – These are the mega sites with thousands of jobs and thousands of resumes, used by thousands of employers. Typically, job seekers use them for free. ex. www.hotjobs.yahoo.com www.monster.com www.careerbuilder.com

Job Search Engines – They collect job postings from other sites and aggregate them into one database to be searched by job seekers. Ex. www.indeed.com & www.simplyhired.com, www.jobster.com

The Niche Sites – These sites serve smaller specific population: a location, profession, age group, industry, interest.

Online Classifies or Want Ads – Intelligencer Journal www.lancjobs.com, Reading Eagle http://readingeagle.com/TopAds.aspx?id=2, Pennysaver http://www.pennysaverusa.com/jobs/?r=Pennsylvania

Choosing an Online Job Site: Questions to Think About What type of information are you finding on the

site? Is it business listings, academics, or nonprofits? Is it just job listings or is there other useful information

to be found? Are the job listings dated so I know when they

were added? Responding to old ads is not only a waste of your time,

employers really dislike getting applications and inquiries about jobs they filled a while ago.

If you don't see any dates, check the information for employers posting here. How much do they pay and how long will the jobs be posted?

How often do they update the listings.

Choosing an Online Job Site : Questions to Think About, cont. Who runs this service?

Is there information about the people who run this site that I can read?

What's their background (recruiter, industry specialist, someone looking for a fast buck)?

Is there a name, address, or phone number for contacting them with questions?

Do I know anyone who has used this service? What did they use this for? How did it work for them? Did they like what they found? Do they feel it was helpful and worth the time spent here?

If there's a fee for this service, is it worth the cost? What will my money get me? What is the refund policy? What promises are they making, and are these promises

reasonable? How do they handle complaints?

The "Dirty Dozen" Online Search Mistakes are:

Posting your resume without worrying about privacy.

Using only the big name Web job sites. Not prepared to distributing your resume in the

correct format. Limiting your job search efforts to the Internet only. Applying for jobs without meeting the minimum

qualifications. Depending on e-mail as your only method of

contact.

The "Dirty Dozen" Online Search Mistakes are:, cont. Assuming that you have privacy with e-mail and

Internet use at work. Not utilizing the extensive Internet research

resources to find potential employers or to stand out from the crowd with a resume and cover letter customized to the employer.

Sending a virus-laden "surprise" with your e-mailed resume

Expecting someone else to do the work (the job sites, a recruiter, your outplacement counselor, etc.).

Forgetting that a personal resume Web page/portfolio is a business document.

Online Job Search Gadgets and Widgets

There are widgets, gadgets, and tools to help manage your career.Select tools that will help expedite your job search and make yourlife easier. You'll be able to save a lot of job searching time, if youChoose applications that help bring job listings directly to you andthat help you communicate faster with your contacts andprospective employers.

Indeed Email Job Alerts - Sign up to receive new job postings from Indeed via email.

my.indeed.com - Create a my.indeed account and access your saved jobs, notes, and searches from any computer.

Create Your Resume Online

My Future - http://www.myfuture.com/toolbox/resumebuilder.html

Resumizer - http://resumizer.com/ CareerBuilder.com Monster.com Pongo Resume – fee -

http://www.pongoresume.com/

Posting Your Resume Online

There are 2 basic file formats for your Internet Resume. ASCII text format is very plain text used to:

Cut-and-paste into the body of an e-mail message to send your resume to potential employers, etc.

Cut-and-paste into the resume/profile forms on Web job sites and employer Web sites.

HTML format turns your resume into a Web page, viewable in a Web browser, and allowing you to add bolding, color, and other special formatting for: Your personal resume Web page Copy-and-paste into the resume/profile forms on the

Web job sites and employer Web sites that allow use of HTML.

Make Your Resume “Cyber-Safe”

Protect your identity and your current job, if you have one.

Remove your standard "contact information" Replace the contact information with an e-mail address that is

harder to trace to you personally, like one of the Web-based e-mail addresses

Remove your current employer's name; replace it with an accurate, but generic, description

If your job title is unique, replace your title with, again, an accurate, but generic" title

Note: Taking these steps may make it a bit more difficult for the Recruiter or potential employer to reach you, at least initially, because of the limited contact information.

Virtual Career Fairs

A VCF is just like a "bricks and mortar" career fair, except that ALL of it happens online. Collegegrad.com -

http://vcf.collegegrad.com/Location/Pennsylvania/ SIFE United States-

http://www.sife.org/united_states/sife_teams/virtual_career_fair.asp?ID=Alumni

Militaryconncection.com - http://www.militaryconnection.com/virtualfairs.asp

Delawareonline.com - http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=virtualcareerfair

St. Joseph’s Univ. – List of Virtual Career Fairs - http://www.sju.edu/careers/alumni/careerfair.html

Personal Online Resume Websites

Online Resume Provider Vision Resume – fee -

http://www.vision-resume.com/

Example Sites Leanna Hoskins -

http://www.leannahoskins.com/portfolio.html Caleb Clark - http://www.plocktau.com/ Keith Church - http://www.seaboot.com/

Online Job Search Resources

Linkedin.com - Over 500 companies are using LinkedIn's Corporate Solutions and many more hiring managers and recruiters are using LinkedIn to post jobs and source candidates for employment. http://www.linkedin.com/

Online Job Search Strategy 101 Workshop

http://www.wellesley.edu/cws/jobsearchworkshop.html Job Hunt – Great tips and articles about all aspects

of job hunting - http://www.job-hunt.org/ Job Hunter’s Bible – great one to start with -

www.jobhuntersbible.com

Online Job Search Resources

Center for Workforce information and Analysis: Job Seekers resources in PA - http://www.paworkstats.state.pa.us/gsipub/index.asp?docid=353

College Grad - #1 entry level job sites - www.collegegrad.com

Career Hub Blog: Free Advice from Career Experts - http://www.careerhubblog.com/main/2008/12/leadingedge-job-sites.html

Craig’s List for Job Hunting - http://lancaster.craigslist.org/

Net-Temps - http://www.net-temps.com/ 100 Hot Job Yahoo -

http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/HotJobs100