Job Search Basics

Posting Your Resume

The first step in your online job search is to post your resume. Posting your resume has two huge benefits:

1. It allows employers to find you. You don't have to find them
2. It allows you to apply for jobs as fast as possible when applying online. You don't have to re-enter your resume each time.

If you prefer for your resume to remain invisible to employers until you choose to apply online, you can do that, too. Good job sites give you the option of how much visibility you want your resume to have. You can choose to have your resume available to be found by employers and recruiters searching the resumes, but to have only the contact information displayed that you're comfortable with. Or you can choose to not have it searchable at all. The level of privacy is up to you.

Searching for Jobs

The next step in your online job search is to actually search for jobs. Good job sites allow you to customize your search with lots of different criteria, but you may want to start with just the basics: job type, location, and maybe a few keywords that describe what type of job you're looking for. Once you're comfortable using these and want more control over what's showing up in your search results, use an advanced search form.

One of the keys to finding a job quickly online is to stay on top of the newest listings. That means searching every day. The easiest way to do that is to set up a job alert. A job alert will send the newest jobs right to your email inbox, so you don't have to go search for them.