Using the Internet to Find a Job

While the Internet is a great tool to use in finding a new career opportunity, most job seekers don’t use it effectively.

There are 3 main ways to use the Internet to support a career transition:

1.) Research: Use it as a tool to gain information on the economy, industries and trends that effect them. Identify companies that interest you and gain insights into their operations.

2.) Networking: Support your networking by using the Internet to identify people who are important to your job search. By learning the names and backgrounds of hiring managers at prospective employers and people who can be effective referral sources into those companies, you can gain specific information that will be helpful for your candidacy and get introductions to the decision makers. Social networking sites like LinkedIn help you increase your connections.

3.) Job Postings: The Internet is a great source of job leads from the employment pages of company websites to the job boards listing career opportunities from a large variety of organizations. Applying online for jobs has become a very streamlined process.

The problem with using the Internet for finding a job is that most job seekers use the Internet backwards.

They identify a job posting and immediately apply for the position, then sit back and wait for the “Email to Ping” and the “Phone to Ring”, which rarely happens.

To effectively use the Internet, job seekers should research a company before applying for a job in order to gain insights into its operations and to determine what talents and experience it is looking for in a successful candidate.

They should also identify the hiring manager and strive to develop relationships with network contacts who could make an introduction to that decision maker. Even if that is not possible job seekers should gain insights about the company and the job from people in the know so they can modify the application and resume to emphasize aspects of their background that are a match.

By understanding the needs of the organization and developing relationships with people of influence, an individual can gain the advantage over other candidates.

For more information on how to develop and implement successful job search campaigns, go to www.WorkingMyWay.com.