Posts Tagged ‘Work Experience’

Online Job Hunting Websites:

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Online Job Hunting Websites:  Why You Should Post Your Resume

If you are looking for a new job or a new career, there is a good chance that you would turn to websites which are commonly referred to as online job hunting websites or career hunting websites.  Two popular and well-known examples of these websites are CareerBuilder.com and Monster.com.  What is nice about these online job hunting websites is that you can search through hundreds or even thousands of job listings for your area, but did you know that you can also do more than that?

As it was previously mentioned, many career hunting or job hunting websites allow you to search through job listings in or around your area. This is often done by entering in your zip code and then a specific mile radius, which you would be willing to travel.  You can even customize your searches a little bit more, to search for a certain type of job or a job in a specific industry, like medicine.  Many career hunting or job hunting websites allow you to search through their listings without creating an account, but if you would like to apply for any of the job listings that you come across, you will need to register for an account. While different career hunting or job hunting websites vary, many are free to use.

When applying for a job, through an online career hunting or job hunting website, the application process will all depend on the website in question. In most cases, you will be required to fill out a small form. That form may ask your full name, your address, your telephone number, as well as a little bit of information about your work experience and the education that you received.  In addition to this information, which in a way resembles a standard job application, you will need to attach your resume.  Many career hunting or job hunting websites allow you to upload your resume to their system or have you create a new one in their system.  This resume is what will basically determine if you get an interview; therefore, it is important that you always make sure to attach a resume when applying for a job online, even if the employer in question only says that one is optional.

Although it is advised that you attach a resume whenever applying for a job, especially online, there are many job hunting or career hunting websites that allow you to do more than that.  For instance, many also allow you to post your resume online or make it searchable; searchable to employers who use the website in question.  What does this mean for you?  It means that you and your resume could get exposure without you having to do any work yourself. The simple uploading of your resume, the clicking of the searchable box, and you should be good to go.  As a reminder, most career hunting or job hunting websites do not make your resume available to the general public, just the employers who use their services; therefore, you shouldn’t have to worry about your resume falling into the wrong hands.

As previously stated, uploading your resume to a job hunting or career hunting website and making it searchable may be help you land a job or at least an interview with little or no work on your part.  This is because many employers actually find it easier to search for the perfect candidates themselves, instead of having to go through hundreds or thousands of resumes and job applications, many from those whose are not even qualified for the job in question anyways. So, that is why it is important that you have your resume posted and made viewable by employers on career hunting or job hunting websites. You never really know who may come across your resume or what type of job they will offer you.

As a reminder, most career hunting or job hunting websites allow you to use their services, as well as post your resume on their websites free of charge. That is all the more reason as to why you should make your resume available for viewing; you have nothing to lose by doing so.

Changing Careers Made Easy

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

Are you finally ready to move on with your life? While it may sometimes feel like you are the only one in the world trying to change your plans, the average jobseeker actually changes careers seven times during his or her lifetime. That’s good news because at least you know that other people have successfully made career changes.

So what are the options for successfully making the transition?

Option 1: This option is to stay at your current job while you carry out volunteer work to gain the appropriate work experience. You may have to do such work on weekends, during the evenings or from home by special arrangement. Most small businesses do welcome those who can do volunteer work.

Option 2: Another option is to move to the new company and field and continue doing your normal job role. In doing so, you can carry out work that you feel comfortable with while taking stock of the new environment. This will give you valuable exposure to the new job so that you can informally initiate and be proactive at assisting and helping out in any capacity within that job role.

Option 3: In some professions, it is impossible to successfully make the transition without first re-training. This often involves acquiring professional qualifications. Never dive into the first training option that comes your way but rather do thorough research to ensure that you end up selecting the very best option available to you.

Option 4: According to our research, many career changers have decided to forgo working only one job in favor of taking on multiple jobs. You may want to consider whether you want to be part of this growing trend and increase both the pay and flexibility of your lifestyle.

Working Through Your Options: Selecting an appropriate option or options boils down to what kind of career change you are after and the level of flexibility provided by that industry. It is critical, therefore, to research and weigh what option will best serve your purpose by realistically evaluating your personal, social and financial commitments. You may discover in the process that, for instance, the fastest option is not the best suited to you due to certain obligations; you may need to pace or stagger the transition. Be realistic and set sensible goals that will not frustrate your career change efforts.

The bottom line is this: no matter what your circumstances and commitments, you can achieve your career change goal. Just be patient: it may take a little bit longer than you may have anticipated. To keep things moving as efficiently as they can, start acquiring the skills you need to begin working on your career change today. To test how good your current job market skills are, start by taking this FREE Job Market Performance Assessment.