If you’re like most job seekers across most industries, the success of your job search will depend on your ability to reach out to people in the real world through phone calls, meetings over coffee, and conversations at social events. But as vital as face-to-face contact will be, you’ll still need to pay close attention to the online branch of your search. And if your online efforts aren’t taking you anywhere or don’t seem to be paying off, you may benefit by giving your digital strategy a few tweaks. Consider taking the following steps.
How to Tighten Up Your Online Job Search Efforts
- Scan job boards—But make sure they’re the right ones. It’s okay to spend a few minutes each day on general job boards, but make sure you give equal attention to industry-specific sites that are known and trafficked only by people in your field and sub-divisions of bigger job boards. The best jobs often appear on these insider venues, while the jobs on broader sites may not be perfect for you and may be flooded with thousands of applicants. If you’re running out of ideas, try LiveCareer’s multitudes of job postings.
- Are you waiting to be discovered? Stop doing that. Don’t just polish your blog, clean up your Facebook page, post your resume on your personal website and then sit back and wait for the offers to roll in. We’re sorry to break the news, but employers don’t usually surf the web looking for you. They post their positions, giving you the opportunity to respond. Be active, not passive.
- Re-examine your resume. It may look great when printed out on heavy paper, but how scanable and readable is this document when viewed on a screen? And are you sure you’re sending your resume in Microsoft Word, not as PDF or rich text file? Don’t make things difficult for your employers. Keep your formatting and presentation clean, simple, scanable and accessible.
- You have a vast social media network, but are you using it? Make sure your family, friends, neighbors and former coworkers know that you’re looking for work. It can be a little embarrassing to tell the world you’re unemployed, but which matters more, your pride or your future? The people who care about you can help you out, but not if they don’t know what you need.
- Google yourself, and do so on a regular basis. Even if there’s nothing you can do about it, it’s a good idea to know what employers are finding when they pass your name through a search engine. You may not be able to take down the scandalous news stories about the lady five states away who shares your name, but you can at least get a heads-up on the strength of your privacy settings. And you’ll have a chance to take down that swear-laden movie review you published three years ago but had forgotten about.
- Pursue opportunities. Recognize them when they float past and take action. Did a Facebook friend’s second cousin just mention that her company is hiring? Did an organization you love just post a banner ad saying they’re looking for new tech pros or salespeople? Keep your eyes open and be ready to move when your moment comes, which could happen at any time.
LiveCareer, home to America’s #1 Resume Builder, connects job seekers of all experience levels and career categories to all the tools, resources and insider tips needed to win the job. Connect with us on Facebook and Google+ for even more tips and advice on all things career and resume-related.
