Where to Post Your Resume for Best Return on Your Investment (time)

Post Your Resume on Employer Sites

In order take full advantage of the Internet, you should post your resume on sites where employers are the most likely to see it.  However, no matter where you post it, you won’t be wasting your time.  You have everything to gain if the right employer sees it at the right time.

However, if you are going to use the major job and resume posting boards, be aware that you will have to be active in searching and applying for posted positions, if you want to make the most of it.

Many companies post open positions on their company websites and may require applicants to fill out a web-based application. This is more often found in cases where it is a large company, but smaller companies are now starting to use web services to handle their application processes, too. Some of the larger companies even allow job seekers to be notified of new job openings for which they are qualified, based on their resume content.  Here is another reason to make sure your resume is well written.  Search robots can only search for specific terms.  If they aren’t in the resume, even though you’re well qualified, your resume won’t be seen by a human with the power to hire you.

Professional Association Websites

Professional organizations often allow employers to post job openings for members and the organizations they represent. If you are interested in working in a particular field, try to locate websites for professional organizations in the field.

Housekeeping

It is important to understand that, before looking for a job, your personal house should be in order.  Today, many companies are including extensive background, drug, and credit checks in their interviewing process. Many recruiters encourage their candidates to be up front about any issues that may come up because of a background or drug check.

It is also a good idea to request your credit report prior to starting a job search, just to make sure everything is correct. Interviewing is stressful enough without the unexpected happening.

In today’s complicated world, job searches have become almost an art form and by following a few simple, though sometimes time-consuming, steps you can assure greater success in finding your next position.

Have a plan

Now that you've made the decision to start looking for a better job, consider handling your job search with a three prong approach. Your time and effort should be dedicated to:

(1) search and research

(2) production,

(3) and follow-up

You should develop templates for a standard cover letter and letter of introduction that can be customized for various job titles and open positions. Remember, your resume and letters are business documents, make sure they're focused and concise. Rather than including a laundry list of your job duties, invite the reader to learn about you by offering solid examples of your skills and accomplishments. During each week of your job search, make a commitment to respond to several qualified job leads.

And don't forget to Follow-Up! This can be the most challenging and frustrating part of the search process. This step forces you to deal with obstacles, barriers, dead-ends, and rejection. But if you're willing to be a bit tenacious, this step will allow you to gauge which leads are getting warmer (and deserve more attention) and which have gone cold.

Decide how much time you can realistically dedicate to your job search each week. If your goal is realistic, it can be reached. Then follow an organized, three prong approach to finding your next career opportunity.

Learn more about the benefits of career coaching at The Under Cover Recruiter.