|
 |
The Online
Job Hunt
Recruiters explore
whether or not searching the net is the panacea for low employment.
By Liese Hutchison
|
|
Searching
on line is certainly one outlet for finding a job, but maybe not
the best. According to two recently released studies, using the
Internet to secure a job is maybe fourth or fifth on the list
of job search techniques. Drake Beam Morin (DBM) interviewed more
than 1,800 executives and senior executives on sources for their
new jobs and discovered that only three percent of them found
a job online.
“The large majority of people are still finding jobs through networking,”
notes Greg Pettenon, managing consultant for DBM. “Generally speaking,
as you move up the ranks, the source of the lead as a recruiting
tool is who you know. The Internet’s influence lessens the higher
the position.” Fifty-seven percent of job seekers in DBM’s executive
survey said networking was the tool that led to a successful job
search, 16 percent found employment through advertisement, and
14 percent through search firms.
If the job seeker isn’t looking for a management position, the
percent of people finding jobs online doesn’t rise significantly.
In fact, according to Forrester Research, Inc., which surveyed
almost 2,800 average job seekers, the percent of people who found
a job from the Internet was only four percent.
“It seems to me that the likelihood of finding a classified ad
online that fits your skills and needs is relatively small,” states
Claudia Gentner, CIO of Lee Hecht Harrison. Monster.com and Hotjobs.com
receive tens of thousands of resumes. “There are millions of people
who believe that they’re conducting a job search by posting a
résumé online, but they’d be lucky to get through the noise. An
effective job hunt takes a lot of effort, and if you’re posting
your résumé on the web and wait for someone to find you, you might
wait a long time.” The exception to the rule is technology workers,
Gentner remarks.
|
Internet
Recruiting and Job Sites
|
|
|
Gentner says the Internet is a great tool for job hunters, because
they can:
• identify people with whom they have something in common and
can network
• educate themselves on a particular company
• research trends in the industry
• determine the competitive posture of the organization
• do background research on the person with whom they’re communicating.
By taking these steps, she notes, job seekers are being proactive
in their searches instead of passively waiting for someone to
discover their résumés.
Pettenon recommends that job seekers search for companies that
intrigue them. “The better focused they are in their job searches,
the better the searches will be,” he says. “Most companies that
have a web site will have a job site.” Pettenon points out that
companies receiving résumés online can wade through them faster
than with traditional résumés coming through the mail, complete
with cover letters.
The problem with mass job posting sites, Pettenon says, is that
people who aren’t real active seekers find it so easy to send
résumés. “Right now the number of résumés floating online is overwhelming.
People are responding to positions because there is no effort
in it. All they do is hit the submit button,” he states. “They’re
not really looking, they’re just exploring. The databases are
overflowing because of this ease of submitting résumés.”
But if a job seeker does decide to post a résumé, DBM offers these
tips:
• Just the Facts – Don’t waste time with résumé fraud by
either lying about your experience or adding popular keywords
to résumés to attract recruiter attention. Be true to your record.
You will find opportunities more closely suited to your background
and goals, and avoid problems from misrepresentation.
• Talk the Talk – Make sure you become familiar with the
language and terminology of your profession and use it to describe
your experience. The correct use of industry terminology will
instantly allow the potential employer to understand your background
and determine a possible fit, quickly and efficiently.
• Timing is Everything – Most large job sites list résumés
chronologically and recruiters often look at the most current
postings. Consequently, it’s a good idea to re-post your résumé
on a weekly basis.
• Pick and Choose – Be judicious and selective about the
sites to which you post your résumé. Recruiters will not take
you seriously if they discover that you are indiscriminate about
the position you are seeking. If you post your résumé on every
site and in every job bank, you will waste the recruiter’s time—not
to mention your own!
• Highlighting Key Points – You cannot use bolds, underlines or
bullets in a plain text document, so consider using the following
characters for substitutes:
- Bullets
– use asterisks (*) or plus signs (+) at the beginning
of lines
- Lines
– use a series of dashes to separate sections
- Bold
text – consider capital letters or use asterisks to
surround the text
|
• Going Public – Once you have posted your résumé, consider
it a public document and out of your control. Even the private
résumé databanks do not always let you dictate who can and cannot
look at your résumé.
Suggestion: Instead of putting your home address and phone number
on the résumé, consider renting a post office box and getting
a voice mail account during your job search. Cancel both when
your search is over.
• Update or Outdate – Once your résumé is listed, can it
be updated at no cost? Some Internet services will let you post
your résumé at no cost, but they will charge you for updates.
You don’t want an old résumé out there, but you also don’t want
to pay for updates. Look for an unlimited number of updates.
Liese L. Hutchison is an assistant professor in the department
of communication at Saint Louis University and a free-lance writer.
|
|
|
|
|
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
|
