Internet Job Boards

Using Internet job boards to post your resume and/or search for jobs is something that can help supplement a job search when you are also utilizing more traditional methods.

As a recruiter, I always feel that the best job search is one that utilizes several methods effectively and certainly this can be one of them.

While I'd never suggest solely relying on Internet sites to get a new job, using them is certainly something that can pay off.

People do get hired through them and you can too, as long as you understand the best way to utilize them:

1. Rather than simply using the most popular and well-known Internet job websites, try to find niche sites specific to your industry or profession that are more targeted to you and that have fewer job searchers to compete against.

2. When posting your resume, carefully consider whether you want your name and personal details posted publicly. Is there a chance your current manager might see that you're looking for a job if they also use this particular job board?

3. Since most job boards are set up to allow employers to search for resumes by keywords, ensure that you properly include the keywords that potential employers will tend to use to search for your resume.

4. Realize that many recruiters also use these job sites to search for job candidates and that you will most likely get many calls from them. You won't necessarily hear from actual hiring managers unless they find your resume using a keyword search.

5. Keep track of jobs that you apply for through Internet job boards by documenting them in writing using an Excel spreadsheet or Word document. You will most likely find that when a hiring company posts a job for their company on a particular website, several recruiters might post the same job (without the company name shown) so ensure that you don't end up applying for the same job with the same company more than once.

As Internet job boards become more popular, the companies who run them will hopefully continue to improve them for not only job searchers but hiring companies. The chances of a hiring manager finding your resume when they are looking to hire someone is only as good as the keyword search that they did to search for suitable resumes.

In the meantime, ensure that you properly understand what keywords and content your resume should contain as the requirements could differ depending on the job board(s) you choose to use.

Finally, rather than posting your resume online and waiting for the calls to come in, you're better off proactively searching for suitable jobs on your own and applying for them directly.