Ideally, you want your job search to take as little time and energy as possible, while yielding optimal results. Sound impossible? It's not. Especially if you use the Web to its full potential. This article describes the kinds of career information you can find online and how to use it.
The Ideal Job Search
The most successful job search is a multi-faceted one. You greatly increase your chances of finding the right job and getting hired by expanding your professional network, researching companies, and targeting organizations that are a good fit for your skills, interests and experience. Happily, in today's world, much of this work can be done on the Web.
Convenience, Flexibility and Cost Efficiency
Having your own computer and Internet access means you can conduct a good deal of your job search on your own schedule and in the comfort of your own home. Also, because Web resources are categorized and searchable by keywords, you can narrow your focus and efficiently access large amounts of information. It's relatively cheap to access the Web, and once you do, most of the information is free. If there's ever a time when cost efficiency matters most, it's when you're looking for a job!
Information and Preparation
Most businesses have their own sites which provide basic background information, a glimpse into the corporate culture, job opportunities, contact information and more. Use the Web to target the companies you want to work for. Hopefully, you'll find an applicable job posting. If not, find out who to contact in your chosen field. It's all about networking.
Communication and Guidance
Since the Internet is a massive network, what better place to do your networking? After all, networking is the single most effective means of finding a job. Whether it's advice you seek, networking and informational interview opportunities, or you want to respond to an internship ad or job posting, people around the world are available online. Because of the Web's interactive nature, you can contact everyone from career professionals and placement offices to fellow job seekers and even employment support groups.
College and University Sites
Many university career offices and placement centres have their own sites, and are a great source of career-related information. You can access information from your own school's career and placement office, but feel free to take advantage of other schools' sites as well. They contain a wealth of information ranging from self-assessment tools to resume and interview preparation tips to campus interview schedules to job listings. Most also offer descriptions of other worthy career-related sites and provide links to them.
Special Interest Sites
There are also more specialized sites that cover specific topics. Professional associations and other specialized groups make valuable career-related information available to all interested parties, not only their members.
Whether it's an industry organization that provides information on "what's hot/what's not," where the jobs are, and announcements of open positions, or it's an outreach group that helps employ a particular segment of society, such as women in business, people with disabilities, racial and ethnic groups, or part-time workers, these sites can be information gathering and networking bonanzas.
Advice and Insider Information
Professional associations and career specialists are online all over the world, providing information on employment and particular industries. You'll find that some information is already posted online, and some of it you may need to request. Online career columns enable you to submit your questions and receive answers online and through e-mail.
There are also mailing lists to which you can subscribe that enable you to communicate with a large number of people, all of whom are interested in the same subject as you and some of whom are experts in the field. People will respond, sometimes even directly to you.
