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Statistics Show People Turn to the Internet First For Their Job Search

A recent internal study of the labor market by Jobtonic.com showed that the majority of applicants get a job using specialized Internet portals. Applicants can use such services to search for jobs in Houston, LA, Detroit and any other city in the US. Many applicants believe this method is the most effective even compared to using friends and relatives.

How People Found Their Current Job

man having job interviewFor some would be job seekers it is easier to ask influential friends or family for help with their career. Some prefer to visit organizations directly and get their face in front of the decision makers. However, according to statistics the majority of candidates still believe that the perfect job is best found online using specialized sites.

The data obtained from responses of 550 individuals who participated in the survey reveal this fact.

Almost 38 percent of applicants found their last or current job taking advantage of the Internet. Only 29.2 percent of respondents admitted that they were helped by friends or relatives in finding a job. 6.2 percent of the remaining respondents found jobs by contacting the company directly.

Another 5.5 percent managed to get a seat thanks to the professional bonds remaining from the last position, or by studying the trade press advertisements. 2.5 percent of job seekers admitted that they have found a job through advertisements posted on social networking pages. 1.6 percent requested assistance from the Office of the State Employment Service.

A final interesting statistic is that nearly 12 percent of respondents say that new work found them. This means that the applicants received an offer from local headhunters, and the proposed offer suited them in all respects.

How to Use the Internet to Find a Job

Many candidates will first look to the Internet when looking for work. It’s convenient for them because they don’t need to leave the home and can search at their leisure. But the right approach must be taken for this to be effective.

If you want to increase your chances of success in finding that new job via the Internet, here are some tips to follow:

1. Build your resume

Even though you will be conducting your job search online you will still need to make a resume. Your resume is your marketing brochure and prospective employers will want that sent to them. If you make one in a Word program be sure to convert it to a .pdf document so it can be opened by anyone you send it to.

2. Update your social media profiles and get on LinkedIn

As previously noted, headhunters are routinely searching social media profiles (like LinkedIn.com) for would be employees. Create social media profiles highlighting your work experience, skills and technical knowledge.

3. Create your own personal page with an extended portfolio.

In conjunction with sending your resume to companies, make your own Internet page with the details of your work experience. Include additional information that might not fit the details that are usually found in a basic resume. This shows the employer your creativity, initiative and your ability to work with technology.

A personal page can easily be set up within minutes using platforms like WordPress to assist you.

Once you have your page set up, make sure it has the appropriate keywords coded for the homepage. Routinely check the search engines to see if your page is showing for those keywords. It is important that you are easy to find.

4. Look for a specific job

In other words, do not “spam” all the sites in a row that offer jobs. Ideally, it is better to make a list of companies in which you want to work. Sites like JobTonic offer you the possibility to realize your search based on the company criteria. Try to get to the representatives of these companies and communicate with them on the subject of open vacancies.

If there is no work for you in the desired companies, you can leave a resume with contact your information in case the job will appear later.

5. Don’t overdo it

Using the Internet to search for jobs can prove fruitful. However, it’s not the end-all. Spend no more than half your time online.

Use the other half of your time in face-to-face interactions, cold calling, and talking with friends and family who might be able to connect you with a situation they hear about. Explore all the options possible to find your ideal job.

Questions: How did you find your last job? Have you ever used a specialized online job search site? What other tips do you have for searching for jobs online?

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Comments

  1. Unfortunately, I’ve found the Internet to be extremely lacking when it comes to helping people find jobs. I’d focus on LinkedIn and direct connections.

  2. Jayson @ Monster Piggy Bank says

    I used the Internet for all the jobs I had. It was easy for me to find what I was looking for. I just searched “journalism” and my location then all related job posts popped up. My guaranteed tip is I search the company and the job offered there in forums so that I get to know the company more and the truth about the job which I am interested in. Most of time, companies are just sugar-coating everything on their ads or job posts. I get to balance the “truth” from these people in forums.

  3. My very first job in retail I got by visiting the store, but that wasn’t a full-time professional job! Every job after that was found on Craigslist, and my very last job was the result of knowing people. I think networking probably yields the best results, simply because you have some inside knowledge on how the company functions. I do have to say, I worked in a sales environment before, and my bosses weren’t happy with cold calls or people just showing up. It was an inconvenience to them as they had pretty busy schedules (and weren’t always in the office). It really depends on the industry and company.

  4. I’ve found all of my jobs through each of my employer’s specific websites. I’m also a member of a number of professional organizations in my field that post available jobs to their sites and listserves, which is handy. I just hired for a position and advertised it exclusively online. I received well over 100 applicants and was able to find someone who is a great fit. In my field, if applicants had shown up without an appointment, it would not have gone over well. I vastly prefer to screen resumes and then contact people for an interview. I can see how that tactic might work for some positions though. And, I agree with you–networking is key!

    • It was always awkward for me as a principal when people showed up unannounced and insisted on seeing me to hand me their resume. That may have been more my fault than theirs as it usually interrupted something important I was doing.

  5. I’d be curious to see the same study, but with information broken out my industry. I’ve always used the Internet to find my jobs, so has my husband, because in the aerospace industry, there’s no benefit in things such as cold calling or getting your face in front of people. You can’t show up to a military base and expect that they’ll let you in and most companies in the industry have similar closed door policies. Those tactics probably work great for sales and marketing, though.

    One thing I’d like to understand better is how to network for jobs. I’ve mentioned before that I have friends who have positions that might benefit my husband’s job search. Since they have no knowledge of his skills or experience, I’ve never known how to approach them.

    • I’m sure this varies by industry. Networking is a challenge, especially if you have a small circle of friends. I’ve learned you need to be intentional about it and seek people out to network with. They won’t naturally come to you.

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