It’s no secret that job hunting has changed drastically in the last couple of years. In today’s down economy, job search strategies now include more than just sending out resumes and waiting for the phone to ring. That’s what job seekers did in the last millennium.
If you want to land a job today, you’ll have to pull out all the stops and use every available resource and tool at your disposal. Chief among these is the web. But where to start? Some suggestions:
Answer LinkedIn questions. Show off your industry knowledge by responding to the "Answers" section on LinkedIn. If you know your stuff and the answers get high ratings, you’ll become the “go to” person for that topic or set of topics. HR Managers and recruiters regularly visit LinkedIn, and if your name pops up as an expert in the Answers section, you’ll have a leg up over other candidates.
Twitter your search. Twitter offers all sorts of ways to look for a job. Pore over the job openings, connect with recruiters and respond to the listings. Twitter has the advantage of letting you interact with a live person. Immerse yourself in the web-related fields. Mashable.com offers a number of job search strategies.
Build an online portfolio. Design and build a website that showcases your accomplishments. Think of it as an online Bragbook where recruiters see your work and achievements. Just make sure it’s easily navigable and includes the job search keywords that are prominent in your field or industry.
Use job board filters. These can help you “drill down” to the region and industry you’re looking for. Specific keywords, level of experience, even company names and salary can help pinpoint the specific job you may be interested in.
Start with the company. Most posted jobs will have an avalanche of applicants that your resume will mostly likely be buried in. Bypass this mountain of competition and visit the websites of companies you would love to work for. Contact the hiring manager or visit the company’s career pages and fill out their candidate profiles.
Use online recruiters. You’ll find these on sites like recruiterlink.com, i-recruit.com. onlinerecruitersdirectory.com, and searchfirm.com. They can help narrow your search and fit you with the job that best suits your qualifications and experience level.
Clean up your Facebook. HR managers and recruiters will be Googling your name. So make sure you’re presentable on social sites like Facebook. No photos of you hammered at a party or half naked in a dorm room. You may also want to set up a separate professional Facebook account (or similar site) and include photos of you winning awards, at professional seminars and conferences, and even articles you’ve written for your industry.
The rules have changed. Today, sending out resumes should be supplemented with aggressive online job search strategies. If you have additional online job search tips, please include them in the comments section below.
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