Do Job Search Websites Really Work?

You really do need to consider the fact that along with your resume, the company that posted the ad will probably be getting dozens, hundreds, or thousands of other resumes, each of which diminish your chance of getting the job.

What Else Can You Do?

Obviously, looking for a job in the local paper is usually not very fruitful, so you will need to go about things a different way. Job search websites can help you to see who is hiring, what they are paying, and what skills are in demand, but simply applying to hundreds of jobs will probably do nothing but waste your time and make you feel like you don’t have a chance.

Use the Internet Properly

The good news is that you can use much of what technology has to offer by networking instead. It is important that anyone who is looking for a job or may be looking for one in the future develops their own network of people in the industry. Some of these might be friends, colleagues, ex-colleagues, or even high school or college associates, but you should know them all personally and have a fairly good relationship with all of them.

Recent research shows that more than almost one in four jobs are gained because of someone the job applicant knows (i.e. networking), and that will almost always be the best use of your time.

Know Your Online Presence

But there is one word of warning that you should keep in mind when you are going through job search websites or establishing your own network of colleagues and that is you should be very aware of what will come up when people search for your name online. There is a remarkable amount of information available about everyone online, from your name and address, to your criminal record, your associations, and just about every time you made a blog post online.

If you suspect that some of your personal pastimes might get in the way of you finding a job, then now is the time to start developing a different online persona so that you can keep your personal and your career life separate.