How To Find A Job Online

A Job Hunter’s Perspective

Joe, a 29-year-old office manager, had this to say about trying to find a job online. “It takes less time and effort to look for an online job. You can find new opportunities and submit your resume without even leaving your office.” Joe also mentioned the ease with which he found his current job. “I just submitted my resume and the employer emailed me the next day for the phone interview. Within two days I had a better paying job in less time that it took to find my old one.”

Joe isn't alone. Millions of job seekers are turning to the Internet to find jobs. They're even forming support groups through forums and chat rooms. If you're having difficulty finding a job online, you might looking into one of these job search forums. The helpful members are sure to offer tips for refining your search.

Preparing to Find a Job Online

If you're currently looking for a new job, consider preparing a few details ahead of time. To avoid frustration, it's best to have an idea of what type of job you're looking for. Make a list of all the details you find important. Note your favorite tasks, and your preferred atmosphere. If you'd rather work for a small family run business than a large corporation, add this to your list. If you work better at night than during the day, jot it down as well. Also list all of your skills and experiences. Don't forget location! Nothing's worse than finding the perfect job and realizing it's two hours away. Take your list and refine your search.

Your Resume

It's always best to make sure your resume is up to date before trying to find a job online. This may mean having to take it to a professional. Once your resume is prepared, begin your search.

You may notice very few employers request resumes through the mail. In most cases you can email Human Resources via an online form. Simply post your information, and you're done. No stamps and no fax machine. Be sure your resume is formatted properly, as it can get jumbled in cyberspace.

Even though email lets you send a resume instantly, make sure you take the time to edit your resume carefully. Have professors, colleagues or friends look your resume over to make sure everything makes sense and is accurate. If you can have people in your field of interest edit your resume, all the better. If you need advice, there are also many books available, like Resumes for Dummies, and some of them even target specific industries.

Where to Find Online Jobs

Most online job boards are free for jobseekers. Some of the more popular ones are listed below.

• Hotjobs works in association with Yahoo and lists many jobs from top companies.
• Monster is one of the oldest online job websites.
• Craigslist offers job listings by major cities across the globe.
• Careerbuilder also offers job listings in many different categories.
• ResuWiki is a free resume database and job search engine which compiles results from all of the above sites as well as online classifieds and company websites.