Four Types of Places to Search for Jobs on the Internet
Finding Jobs Online | CDO Online home page
| Type of site | Why you might use them | What to watch out for | Bottom line |
|---|---|---|---|
LARGE JOB SEARCH SITESExamples: |
 National or international in scopeLarge corporations use themVast number of jobsSearchable by job target and location"Push" technology - you get alerts when a job in your field is postedMost services are freeCan post one or more versions of your resumeHundreds of thousands of applicants attract big employers |
Actual employer often unknown because of third party recruiter useNot as helpful for seekers in smaller cities or rural areasPrimarily focused on business and technical fields - little for education, arts, media and human serviceMaking resume available online can result in spam, undesirable interview/job offers, and/or scamsHundreds of thousands of applicants can make you invisible |
They're a nice starting point, and great if you're relocating. But there are better, more occupation and location specific options. |
NEWSPAPERS ONLINEFind newspapers listed by state at http://www.newspapers.com/ |
Can search in any city you wantCan also find apartments, local news, and other informationEasier to find classified ads online than reading the physical paper |
This amounts to "using the newspaper", which meansit represents a tiny percentage of all available positions, andjob descriptions are usually very brief and not very informative |
They should be utilized but should not be the focus of your online job search. When relocating, take the opportunity to read other sections of the paper to learn about the area! |
"NICHE" SITESFor a list of "niche" sites, visit CDO Online's Looking for a Job section. |
These sites specialize in positions in a single fieldThe career/job search information provided is specifically for that field as wellMay involve joining a professional association, which will increase networking opportunities |
Many positions require experienceJobs won't necessarily be in your target locationMight be expensive to join (though it's often worth it, and cheaper while you're a student!) |
This should be a major part of your online job search. |
EMPLOYER WEB SITES |
Easy to do research on the organization, since you're already on their siteThis is probably how they WANT you to applyResume and cover letter submission and application process takes mere minutesThis is your best bet |
Not all employers have web sites, and not all that have sites post positions thereWhere does the application go after you click "send"?Faceless and impersonal (not your fault, though)Lots of applicantsTime consuming |
This should be the FOCUS of your online job search. |