Job Hunting on the Internet:
Pros and Cons
Voyager Career Solutions®
It is a great theory. Over 3,000 estimated job-search sites offering countless vacancies, databases and special programs that will automatically e-mail you when your listings match their specific needs. The perfect job is just a mouse click away. No worry, no fuss. However the reality is that job-hunting on the Web is not a magic solution. If you are using the Internet in your job search, don't forget the essential job hunting skills; planning, direction, marketing, and most important, networking.
A Mountain of needles
Many job hunters mistakenly believe that all they have to do is go on the Web and “The perfect job will be waiting there like magic,” says Carl Brown, Vice President Voyager Career Solutions® St. Louis. “But essentially, Internet job sites are just one asset to your hunt as opposed to the only thing that you need to do.” A persistent complaint of Internet job searches is that it is like searching for a specific needle in a mountain of needles. There are thousands of job sites and millions of applicants. Internet based job-hunts are a two edged sword. The Web allows you to conduct a much wider search, but it also means competition with a vast number of fellow job seekers.
A recent survey by Forester Research in Cambridge Mass revealed that of 2,800 Internet users surveyed online found that only 4% found their latest position on the Web. Our experience at Voyager Career Solutions® nation wide is that over 60 percent of our clients find their position primarily through networking. We are finding that many of our clients are increasing the effectiveness of their job hunt by combining online tactics with traditional networking tactics. Voyager Career Solutions® uses a combination of VOYAGER CAREER SOLUTION Internet tools, a proprietary Internet marketing tool and traditional Voyager Career Solutions® career marketing strategies to help our clients reach their career goals.
Traditional values
Most people who post their resumes on Internet job boards receive few responses. Why? Overwhelming competition and a failure to stand out from the herd. The ease of surfing the Internet has encouraged many job hunters to forget the traditional ways of finding good jobs: researching key companies, interviewing skills, direction, appropriate resumes and most importantly, networking.
“You still have to find a way to stand out to employers,” says Shary Raske Director – Client Services Voyager Career Solutions® St. Louis. “With the Net, you can get your resume in front of many more people, but you still need a good resume. There has to something unique about your resume to make it stand out. What are your critical success factors? Why are you different from every other applicant? What do you bring to the party?”
Ms. Raske's point is validated by a resent nation wide survey of Voyager Career Solutions® Advisors. The survey found that while the Internet can give online job hunters a valuable tool, it's not necessarily the most important tool. Job seekers should still devote most of their time to networking, preparing for interviews, and gaining the experiences that make for strong presentations. Those who rely solely on the Net risk finding little success. It is not Field of Dreams; you can't just post it and expect that they will come. Remember, active campaigns tend to be much more successful than passive actions. An active campaign will also be much more likely to help you get what you want, rather than just get what is available.
Low success rate
One of the reasons for the low success rate for those solely using the Internet is that job sites are doing too good of a job of attracting resumes. “With thousands of sites, it becomes a volume game. “Hiring managers have to sift through many resumes. It's hard for one particular resume to stand out,” says Steven Francek, Vice President, Voyager Career Solutions® Charlotte NC. When looking for a position you must to take advantage of every means available. That includes networking with every possible resource.
The other side of the coin is that when employers advertise on the Net, they sometimes attract thousands of applicants for just one open position. Basically, this is an electronic newspaper classified ad with no geographical boundaries. The likelihood of you getting picked out of such a large pool is quite small. With that much competition, you really need to stand out.
Bottom line
The rosy glow is off the online job search industry. It is not a magic cure. A traditional active campaign is much more likely to yield success than passively waiting for a response to your posting. Your job search should be about getting what you want as opposed to taking what is available. Voyager Career Solutions® believes that job seekers should only spend up to 10% of their available time responding to posted position, whether online or in the newspapers. The balance of their time should be spent on more proactive measures, primarily preparation, planning, and networking. Remember, a lousy resume doesn't look any better on the Internet than it does on paper.
About the author: Alan Ludmer is the president of Voyager Career Solutions®. Voyager Career Solutions® is nationally recognized regional firm and a proud member of the International Association of Career Consulting Firms. For more information, call 314-991-5444 or visit the Voyager Career Solutions® web site at www.voyagercareers.com
More job search tips > > >