Everyone’s doing it now – looking for a job online. But there are so many places to visit and so much information online. How can you make sure you’re getting the best result from your online job search?
Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your time online.
Check Niche Sites:
As well as checking the major newspaper and online job sites, you want to look at specialty sites. Niche job sites target jobs according to industry. For example, if you are in the call centre industry, look for a job site that features only call centre related jobs. Often, these sites do a better job of categorizing and promoting opportunities. In addition, you aren’t wasting your time sifting through thousands of jobs that may or may not be what you are looking for.
Use Search Engines:
How do you find these specialty job sites? Search for them through search engines such as Google. If you are looking for a job in the insurance industry, try searching using keywords like “insurance job canada” (without the quotes.)
Find “Hidden” Jobs:
When you are searching for a job at a job posting site, try searching specific locations. For example, when searching for a job in Ottawa, search also suburbs of the region like Nepean, Orleans, and Kanata. You might find a job closer to home and you might find something that others may have overlooked. Try also variations in the name of the job you are looking for since often job titles can vary.
Sign Up for Jobs Through Your Email:
Many sites offer these services and usually they are free. All you have to do is visit a site and sign up. You’ll get the most recent jobs delivered right to you email. Make sure you check a site’s privacy policies just to make sure you don’t end up with unwanted spam. Often, you can select the jobs that will be sent to you by region, industy, part-time or full-time, etc.
Track Where You’ve Applied:
Be organized. Since there are so many places online you will be seeing, after a while, it all becomes a blur. But don’t let it. Every time you see a great job that you want to apply for, send the job to your email. Include the URL and the closing date in the title so it doesn’t get lost in your email inbox. Once it’s in your email, create a folder called “jobs to apply for.” Once you’ve sent in your resume, put it in another folder you create called “jobs I’ve applied to.” That way, you know which jobs you are waiting to hear from. Once you hear from them, put them in another folder called “interviewing” or, if they decided to not entertain your resume, “declined.” this is a great way to track jobs you’ve interviewed for, and which ones you’ve been unsuccessful at. You can easily find these positions again should you be looking for work 6 months from now when you have more experience.
Looking for work online can be a rewarding way of looking for a job. And the more you look, the better your research skills will become. Don’t forget to look for niche sites and take advantage of services sites offer, like direct-to-your-email job postings. They can save you a lot of time and effort.
