1. Search Engines Mention the words 'internet job search' and 9 out of 10 of us will most likely think of online job search engines. These sites are almost always free (though most encourage users to register) and also have a searchable jobs database to find jobs by location, keywords, salary etc.
As a result of the popularity, these sites are frequently kept current and are easy to use and navigate. Additionally, they'll often have a handful of other free resources like salary surveys, resume posting, and company research. For a lot of people, they're truly transforming into a one-stop shop for their job search.
There are several different types of online job search sites. The most well-liked and well-known are the big national websites (these are the Monsters and Careerbuilders). With all their resources they typically present a user-friendly website that also draws in the most job postings.
There are also the national niche' sites. These sites are focused on an exact industry (i.e. technical or sales jobs), or a particular group or job type. While these sites certainly may have fewer available jobs, for the particular job-seeker they cater to they are usually an excellent resource and help to find potential jobs quickly.
Regional websites are important because they offer the "next level" of job postings (like searching for Twin Cities Jobs). Typically, it's more cost effective for an employer to post jobs on these sites (occasionally it's free) so they can post a wider variety of openings. The sites also have the advantage of being Area-focused and may offer regional specific services and content.
2. Employer Websites The most complete job information for an employer is available on their own website. Virtually all large to mid-sized employers (and several small employers as well) use a Careers section on their internet site.
Typically, these sites have the most current and accurate job information as they are maintained directly by the employer. Since there is negligible cost to feature jobs to their own website (in place of placing adds on job search engines) all the available jobs are usually posted instead of only the high-profile position. Employers want you to find their job postings on their website instead of some search engine since it doesn't cost them anything. As a result, it's often the best place to find all the jobs for a particular employer.
3. Newspapers Newspapers are the traditional source for job postings. Prior to the internet, job hunters frequently scanned the want ads in the classified sections of their newspapers. For many of the largest regional or national newspapers the want ad scanning has evolved into online posting of jobs that are searchable by the website user. These postings may also be the same that appear in the print version of the paper.
Many local or smaller newspapers many not have the resources to produce and maintain a searchable website. Often, local newspapers are operated by just one company and have pooled their job search resources into a single site for all their newspapers.
While small newspaper websites may not have all the jobs on some of the larger more popular sites, they are a first-rate resource for strictly local or part time work that wouldn't warrant the employer placing (and buying) an ad in a regional paper or search engine. If you want to find part-time work in Savage Minnesota, for example, the local Savage newspaper is a very good resource.
The job resources in the larger newspapers often can rival and compete with the big national job search engines. They usually have advanced search capabilities, resume posting, and employer/company research. The smaller newspaper sites might be harder to navigate and use and will often be solely listings of job openings that may need to be scanned manually.
4. Social Networking One of the most effective technique of find jobs is by networking with family, friends, and former co-workers. In the past, this was accomplished by everyone maintaining their own manual network of people to communicate with.
This too has changed (dramatically!) with the advancement of web based social networking websites where people can collaborate and communicate with others anywhere in the world.Along with some of the more well known sites such as Facebook, you can also find sites that focus exclusively on business networking. On these sites, networking with individuals who work in the industry or even at the company you would like to work for may be a valuable edge over other applicants.
These sites can offer you experience and insights that would be difficult to gather on your own, particularly if you are preparing a career switch and have little or no experience in your new industry.As with other web sites, be aware about where you go and who to interact with. There are various news stories recently relating to the misuse and true dangers that can occur with social networking websites. Just because the other individual says who they are and where they work does not mean it's true. Really be cautious and protect your privacy!
There you have it - use all of these resources for an effective online job search.
If you want to learn more about searching for jobs online, and Minnesota Jobs in particular, be sure to check out the Minnesota Job Bank HQ.
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