Tips for Finding a Job in the Internet Age

The internet is one of the greatest tools around for finding a job but the key to a successful job search is to understand what the internet can and cannot do for you. The internet isn’t magic. Just because you post your resume on a job board doesn’t mean you will be discovered by the company of your dreams. Quite the opposite can be true.

The internet has created efficiencies for job seekers who want to apply for a lot of jobs. Remember the days when, to apply for a job, you had to write a cover letter, print your resume on nice paper, address an envelope and mail it off to an employer? That method was, relatively speaking, a lot of work so job seekers were often more selective about the jobs they applied for. Today, all a job seeker needs to do is point and click a mouse and “shazam” he/she has applied for a job. A lot of job seekers apply for jobs that are a stretch for them, meaning jobs they aren’t totally qualified for, just because it’s so easy to send in a resume now.

These advances in technology mean that recruiters are swamped with resumes. Sometimes recruiters have to wade through hundreds of resumes just to find one that has the required qualifications. That means that posting your resume online or sending it to an employer through a job board like Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com is a virtual guarantee that hundreds of others have also applied for the job in the same manner.


So, how can a savvy job seeker use the internet to her advantage?

1.Use the internet to research companies that have job openings.
Try going to Monster.com, typing in your town or zip code and looking to see what companies are hiring. It doesn’t matter what jobs they are hiring for because all you want to know is what companies have the money to hire. Then, open up another tab on your browser and start Google searching companies in your area. Maybe you will find a company that looks interesting to you and for which you think you would be a good fit. Send a resume and cover letter to that company. You never know what additional jobs they may have available that they didn’t post on Monster.

2.Use LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) to search for companies in your geographic area.
LinkedIn is built to facilitate networking so when you do a search the list that comes up will be of names of people. Individuals who use LinkedIn often write blurbs about their companies on the site so you can find out a lot about interesting companies in your geographic area from reading personal profiles. From there you could Google search companies and apply to ones that look interesting. Or you could make contact with individuals whom you find on LinkedIn and talk to them about their employers

3.Find websites of associations that relate to your field of interest or expertise.
Many associations have job boards or networking events that are great places to start a job search.

4.Target job search sites that have a narrow focus.
Savvy employers who use job boards use those with a narrower focus than the huge catch-all sites like Monster.com. The Ladders (www.theladders.com) offers jobs that pay $100,000 or more. Six Figure Jobs (www.6figurejobs.com) also lists jobs that pay in the 6-figure range. Bridgestar (www.bridgestar.org) has a job listing service for not-for-profit jobs and board memberships. Ivy Exec (www.ivyexec.com) is a website for individuals with graduate degrees from top-tier schools. You can also do a Google Search to find job posting boards for jobs in your area of interest. Even if your salary isn’t in the $100K range you can use The Ladders, for example, to find out what employers are hiring in your area.

5.Target companies that interest you without regard to the jobs listed on their “careers” page.
Have you always wanted to work for the Federal Reserve? Or Kraft Foods? Or for City Hall? Don’t worry about whether or not they have a job opening when you apply. There are many examples of companies creating jobs for top talent. If you find a company that you think you would like to work for, research the company, and any senior individuals in the firm. There are some great online resources to help you research companies, company culture, and executives. ZoomInfo (www.zoominfo.com) is a great website for researching individuals. The site pulls articles, speaking engagements, employment history, and educational background from people on the web. It’s a great way to find out if the CEO of your dream company wrote a book that you should read before your interview! The Vault (www.vault.com) and WetFeet (www.wetfeet.com) offer company profiles and information based upon interviews with former employees. Those sites are great resources for finding out more information about a company before you interview or accept a job.


6.Apply directly to the CEO.
Human Resource professionals are extremely busy and, often, not terribly creative when it comes to thinking about how an individual with a non-traditional background might fit into an existing job opening. If you find a company that interests you write a targeted letter to the CEO which explains why the company interests you and what your value proposition is. Stay away from generic statements like, “I have good people skills”, or “I am looking for a job”. Replace generic and meaningless statements with high powered statements that show that you have done some research about the company and that you have given thought to how your background could add value. For example, “I am interested in working for Company X because of your record of environmental responsibility. I have a degree in environmental policy and I believe that my background at the EPA could enhance your already strong governmental affairs team” Fax or mail the cover letter and your resume to the CEO. There are no guarantees that you will get a call but, from personal experience, generally if the CEO sends a resume to HR it gets more notice and consideration than if it comes from the internet.