Volume 3, Issue 10 October 2000 Job Link Search For A Job Online
Notable Quotable
Internet Job SitesResume Tips from NRI
Who’s Online?
Our Disciplines and Locations
SEARCH FOR A JOB ONLINE The following article, subtitled “How to use wires to hook you up and blast your career into the stratosphere”, is available online at cnnfn.com. The article was written by Alex Frew McMillan.
There once was a time - around three years ago — when you had to be into information technology (IT) to search for a job online. Almost all the jobs advertised were aimed at information-technology and computer-related fields.
It was all so complex and time-consuming for tech newbies. Nowadays, job-hunting experts say you’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t use the Web to shop around, no matter how tech-savvy you are.
Here’s a breakdown of how online job searching and the way jobs are advertised is evolving. There are also tips from employment experts on how to use the wired world when you’re looking for a job.
A Changing Medium
Job searchers still find the Web a dissatisfying way to look for a job, according to Forrester Research, which studies how people use the Internet. It’s discouraging to hear that almost half, or 45 percent, of the people who posted their resumes on career sites got absolutely no response, according to a Forrester survey of 3,000 Internet users.A tech bias still exists, too, though it’s not as dramatic as it used to be. More than a third - 37 percent - of Internet job seekers are looking for a position in technology.
These trends are changing. Recruiters say they find the Internet a more-efficient way to find job candidates than conventional routes, like print classifieds. They plan to cut their spending on newspaper ads by 31 percent by 2004, Forrester reports. Peter Weddle, who publishes an annual guide to online-job searching, Weddle’s Guide to Employment Web Sites, quotes one survey showing that, by 2003, 100 percent of large companies, 60 percent of medium-size companies and 20 percent of small companies will be using the Web to recruit. ”I think that’s already happened by 2000,” said Weddle, who also writes a column on Internet recruiting in The Wall Street Journal.
Get Out There and Meet People, Already
The Web’s growing prominence on the demand side implies that you’ll be missing out on a lot of positions if you’re the supply and you don’t look online. But the Internet is not an exclusive source in a job search, according to employment experts.
The Internet job hunt is something you should do “after dinner,” said John Challenger, CEO of Chicago-based Challenger Gray & Christmas Inc., who helps displaced workers.
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
“If it keeps up, man will atrophy all his limbs but the push-button finger.”- Frank Lloyd Wright
on technology”You’re still going to find your job by seeing people,” he said. “Most people use it [the Internet] as an excuse not to go out and see people.”
The Internet just augments a traditional job search, he said. The job-hunting clichés of getting your foot in the door for a face-to-face interview and pumping palms to network are as important as ever.
Likewise, employment experts say you should not abandon traditional media like classifieds just because you have discovered the Web. Some people find print classifieds easier to “browse,” and there may still be employers not advertising online.
A Navigator’s Guide to Web Job Searches
Another problem with the Web is that it is a big, anonymous, virtually endless place. It’s easy to get lost.Focus the way you search for a job. Just throwing your resume out there isn’t enough. No one will respond if no one knows where to find you.
Weddle said there are now 40,000 commercial employment Web sites. That doesn’t include sites run directly by employers. It is important to pick two or three that meet your needs, he said.
The first job sites to get famous were Monster.com and HotJobs.com. Both those sites ran SuperBowl ads at the start of 1999. Both are also free to job seekers, getting revenue from companies posting jobs. Free is tempting. In general, job-hunting experts like Weddle point out that broad job sites have more lower-end jobs. Often these sites have deals with staffing firms that funnel them a lot of administrative positions.
Weddle credits the SuperBowl push with breaking down the barrier for job-search sites. It gave the sites mainstream appeal. Now there’s a job for almost everyone on the Web.
Online job sites are becoming ever-more specialized. Looking to search a whole sector? Check out sites like HealthOpps.com, which spans healthcare jobs. There are profession-specific sites, too.
There’s a Site for You
As you may imagine, job sites get wacky. That’s not the point. What is? The way that specialization can help you.”The first challenge is for someone to find out which site is in his or her field, and which have the best features,” Weddle said. Scout trade publications in your field to see which sites are well-advertised, he suggested. “If I’m in accounting, I want to know that the site was heavily advertised in the publications that were in that field. If the site isn’t known, employers aren’t going to post jobs there.”
The next aspect to consider is the features that the site offers. The first job sites were nothing more than job notice boards - people posted resumes and employers posted replicas of print classifieds. Ask for more, employment specialists suggest. And remember, it’s not a great idea to be posting your resume willy-nilly if you still have a job. If you’re out of work you have nothing to lose, but Forrester’s research suggests you will gain little, too.
Picking a Good Site
Job sites have become more advanced. The next level of job site beyond a notice board is a “career-network” site or “job-agent” site, which also serves passive job seekers who are happy with their current jobs.Weddle describes such sites as “a personal shopper for the job you want.” You develop a profile of yourself, a confidential online resume, and include other details. Advanced sites may also map how you use the site, to track what you like.
You can actively search the jobs database on the site. But it will also use a “matching engine,” software that matches new job postings with your qualifications and interests. That way you can find out about jobs without having to do the clickwork yourself. There are personal decisions in picking the handful of sites you’ll use. Weddle said you should look for a site that you find clear and easy to navigate. Look for a site that has a good tutorial on its home page, teaching you how to use the site for searches.
Develop Your Strategy
Industry specific sites aren’t for everyone. How specialized are your needs? How much confidentiality do you need? Anonymity sounds good, but it can limit the number of replies you receive, so it may not be the best step if you’re out of work.Searching for a job-search site is like any kind of shopping. How much you want to spend, how much time you have to compare and contrast, even the type of person you are, come into play. So shop around. There is a site for you!
INTERNET JOB SITES As the article on the first page mentions, there are thousands of job sites for you to use! Which ones are targeted to your needs? Perhaps this list of sites will get you going.
As the Washington Post’s job site, this is by far the largest regional listing of opportunities for our area. The site allows you to post your resume, which employers can search, as well as develop your own search agents for the types of positions interesting to you. They also provide career advice. The site has recently been updated so it has a great new, clean look.
Another great site for a variety of ads - lots of variety in job titles, salary, etc. You can add your resume to their database, which employers will search. There is a large amount of career and job hunting advice. You can also sign up for their newsletter.
You knew we would mention our own site! At NRI we update our ads on a continuous basis. We have over 300 temporary and permanent opportunities in Accounting and Financial, Clinical and Non-Clinical Healthcare, IT and Technical Engineering, Legal, and, Office Support and Administrative. If you’re already working with a Staffing Specialist, just give them a call if you see a job that would interest you!
RESUME TIPS FROM NRI Before you send a perspective employer your resume or post it to the web, it’s a great idea to follow these tips:
Format: While there are different formats, you can’t go wrong with a Chronological resume. Each position is listed in sequence, starting with the most current position and working backward. It is easy to understand your career. You don’t need to use complete sentences. Bulleted phrases are fine, just tell the story succinctly.
Amount of detail: When listing former employers, leave out addresses or telephone numbers. Weight the amount of information about each position so that the more recent experience has more space devoted to it than earlier positions. A good rule of thumb is to detail the last three jobs or go back 10 years, whichever is greater. Information about positions before 10 years ago or three positions back should just be listed with no details provided.
Use of graphics: Limit the use of graphics to bold, underline and indents. This makes it easy to read and understand.
Content: An effective resume answers some basic questions. Write your resume to answer the following: What do you do for a living? If your job title is confusing or could be misleading, be sure to clarify. Keep it brief but be specific. What have you accomplished? Did you do anything exemplary?
What specific experience do you have? Have you chaired a committee? Were you responsible for installing a new computer system? Detail this information...briefly.
Be truthful: At all times. Don’t make errors of omission or otherwise not reveal information that the interviewer is seeking. And don’t make errors of commission such as claiming a degree you don’t have. Both are guaranteed to put you, at the very least, in the worst possible light. In many cases, one or the other will result in your immediately being eliminated from consideration.
WHO'S ONLINE? As part of a January 2000 mail survey to more than 80,000 US households, Forrester Research found the following information based on which households, by race, are using the internet. Taken in total, the internet usage by US households has increased this past year by almost a third (27%)! The largest increase came from African American households (45%). Among Asian Americans, the internet now reaches as many households as cable television. Welcome to the wired world!
OUR DISCIPLINES AND LOCATIONS
NRI Accounting Resources®
- Specializing in Accounting and Financial Positions
- 11400 Rockville Pike, Suite 820, Rockville, MD 20852
- Phone: (301) 230-0440, Fax: (301) 770-6125,
- email: nri-accounting-md@nri-staffing.com
- 734 15th Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20007
- Phone: (202) 628-3060, Fax: (202) 628-2838,
- email: nri-accounting-dc@nri-staffing.com
NRI HealthCare®
- Specializing in Clinical and Non-Clinical Professionals
- 11400 Rockville Pike, Suite 820, Rockville, MD 20852
- Phone: (301) 230-0444, Fax: (301) 230-0451,
- email: nri-healthcare-md@nri-staffing.com
- 1302 Concourse Drive, Suite 2-3, Linthicum, MD 21090
- Phone: (410) 850-4035, Fax: (410) 850-5263,
- email: nri-baltimore@nri-staffing.com
- 7617 Little River Turnpike, Suite 603, Annandale, VA 22003
- Phone: (703) 658-4033, Fax: (703) 658-1493,
- email: nri-healthcare-va@nri-staffing.com
NRI Legal Resources®
- Specializing in Legal Secretaries, Paralegals and Law Firm Administration
- 734 15th Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20007
- Phone: (202) 628-3022, Fax: (202) 628-2838,
- email: nri-legal-dc@nri-staffing.com
- 1302 Concourse Drive, Suite 2-3, Linthicum, MD 21090
- Phone: (410) 850-4035, Fax: (410) 850-5263,
- email: nri-baltimore@nri-staffing.com.
NRI Staffing Resources®
- Specializing in Office Support and Administrative Positions
- 11400 Rockville Pike, Suite 820, Rockville, MD 20852
- Phone: (301) 230-0400, Fax: (301) 770-3198,
- email: nri-staffing-md@nri-staffing.com
- 1302 Concourse Drive, Suite 2-3, Linthicum, MD 21090
- Phone: (410) 850-4035, Fax: (410) 850-5263,
- email: nri-baltimore@nri-staffing.com
- 1899 L Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036
- Phone: (202) 466-4670, Fax: (202) 466-6593,
- email: nri-staffing-dc@nri-staffing.com
- 7617 Little River Turnpike, Suite 603, Annandale, VA 22003
- Phone: (703) 658-1705, Fax: (703) 658-1493,
- email: nri-annandale@nri-staffing.com
- 10780-90 Parkridge Boulevard, Suite 140, Reston, VA 22191
- Phone: (703) 391-8000, Fax: (703) 391-9091,
- email: nri-reston@nri-staffing.com
NRI Technology Solutions®
- Specializing in IT and Technical Engineering Professionals
- 1899 L Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036
- Phone: (202) 466-4670, Fax: (202) 466-6593,
- email: nri-staffing-dc@nri-staffing.com
- 10780-90 Parkridge Boulevard, Suite 140, Reston, VA 22191
- Phone: (703) 391-8000, Fax: (703) 391-9091,
- email: nri-technology@nri-staffing.com
- 1302 Concourse Drive, Suite 2-3, Linthicum, MD 21090
- Phone: (410) 850-4035, Fax: (410) 850-5263,
- email: nri-baltimore@nri-staffing.com