Applying for Jobs in Online Job Boards
Building a resume to use for job hunting is one thing, knowing where and how to use it is another story. Millions of people in this country use online job boards to find jobs. One can simply use Google.com to find hundreds of job boards; such as Careerbuilder.com and Indeed.com. I am a big fan of searching for jobs in this manner because you could literally apply for 50 jobs per night if you wanted to from the comfort of your own living room. As a matter of fact, I joined the company I'm with now because they used Indeed.com to post this vacancy and I just happened to be scrolling for job openings during that time. If you are actively looking for a job, or passively as I was, I would highly suggest creating a profile on several job board sites. Also, I would learn everything I could about that job board and how it works so I could use it most effectively. Below, I will highlight a few tips to get you started...
1) When using the search function, make sure to be specific. If you only want to live in a certain area or you require a certain salary, use the advanced search options to indicate these desires so that you aren't bombarded with jobs postings that don't match. It takes a lot of time to search for and apply to job postings; don't create more work for yourself by having to weed through fluff.
2) Though the jobs that have been posted most recently will likely have a smaller candidate pool, thus giving you a better chance at being considered if you apply, don't be afraid to apply to the jobs that have been posted for a few weeks. These companies charge employers on a "per click" basis in most cases. Their business model creates competition for visibility by giving the most visibility to companies with larger budgets. If an employer has a smaller budget for recruiting, their job vacancy may not pop up as much in the searches as those with larger budgets. Therefore, you may find a diamond in the rough that has not gotten much visibility.
3) Don't apply to too many jobs with one company. Part of the analytics included in these job board packages show the number of times a candidate applies for a job with a company. If you have applied to the same company for a sales position on Monday, then a Janitorial position on Wednesday and a finance position on Friday, you end up appearing desperate with no real direction in your career. I completely understand the urgency to have an income when you don't presently have one, trust me...I understand, but don't shoot yourself in the foot.
4) If you need a job, look each and every day. New postings pop up on these job boards every few minutes, or even seconds, and you need to beat other candidates to the punch. When I didn't have a job, I made it my job to find one. That may mean applying for 20-30 jobs per day or it may mean making phone calls to employers. Whatever your situation is, make sure you are using these job boards to your advantage.
5) Part of most packages include an option for the employer to send out auto-replies to candidates that aren't moving forward in the process. If you get an auto-reply saying that you were not selected, don't respond with brash or arrogant comments. This will only provide more evidence that the employer made the right decision in moving on without you. If you feel that you have more to say or that the employer, perhaps, overlooked some key information on your resume, its OK to address that but with a respectful tone that doesn't make you sound like a prick.
For a list of my favorite job boards, please see the landing page of my website; I have a top 10 list there for you.
As always, if you have any questions, please call me at 859-539-9066 or email me at lexingtonresumesolutions@gmail.com.