When searching the internet for job postings many people tend to surf straight to a nationally known job search engine, such as Monster or CareerBuilder. Although these sites may have some of the largest databases of open positions on the web, they can be frustrating. For starters, the very number of jobs posted can cause an inexperienced jobseeker to have spend countless hours online in order to sift through their options. In many cases, a good amount of time is wasted on reading advertisements and scams disguised as job listings.

In order to avoid such, it can be helpful to narrow one’s search so that it yields more specific results. For example, excluding jobs listed as available nationally often gets rid of many advertisements. Setting the job search engine to only show listings that are in specific industries, areas, or are offering salaries with in a certain range can also decrease the amount of energy expended on unsatisfying job listings.

One easy way to avoid having to read a countless number of unhelpful job descriptions is to avoid popular job search engines and go straight to the source. Many people make the mistake of completely forgetting that many employers post their own job listings on their websites. This is particularly effective when searching for a job with a business that is a chain or nationally known.

Aside from posting available jobs, many employers also make it possible for jobseekers to upload their resumes. Some employers make it possible to take preliminary tests to see which positions one would be most qualified for or if their disposition would be suited for the job they are most interested in.

Although many employers do advertise their job listings on external websites, applying directly through a company’s web site is often more effective. According to The Wall Street Journal company web sites are the second most common source of new hires, preceded only by referrals. A survey conducted by CareerXroads, a staffing-consulting firm, conducted a national poll with companies that employee over 5,000 individuals to determine this.

In order to more effectively recruit new talent many employers are beginning to focus on bettering the job listings section of their web pages with the goal of making them easier to navigate. Paul Clegg, the director of global talent acquisition at Raytheon Corp., says that his company is “paying attention to the voice of generation X and Y.” He went on to say that “their values are so different than the boomer generation, and in order to attract and retain them, we’ve got to shift gears.

Labels: Job Search