Best Online Job Search Engines and How to Use Them

Starting Your Career Search Online the Right Way

There are a number of online job search engines out there claiming to get you a job with a series of easy clicks! Even with the best sites, this is not the case. You have to know how to use the search engine, you have to treat job hunting seriously, and you can’t rely on online searches alone. Here are some tips and guidelines for the best job search-engines online right now.

Monster.com  All of you have probably heard of Monster. They are one of the largest job sites online. They’re also an excellent resource, if you keep the following things in mind. First of all, unlike in the commercials, posting your resume is not the only/last step. Posting your resume is the first step. Generally, you will get NO responses from posting your resume on Monster. You have to be the active one and search job postings and apply from there. Searching on Monster is very easy and often self-explanatory. If you are looking to stay in one location, my search tip would be to search the location for jobs of all categories—don’t limit yourself by category choices unless you have a very specific job in mind. If you check back everyday wading through all the jobs won’t be that daunting. Some jobs pop up under categories you might not have expected, by expanding your search you will find more opportunities. Also, unless the company is confidential, make sure to do some research on the company. Monster offers a cover letter on file feature, but make sure each time you send a cover letter it is specific and personalized to the company and job you are applying for. Monster also keeps track of your resume submissions, which is a very good tool. However, make sure you print out the job description you applied for. Sometimes the job is removed and when a person calls you to set up an interview you will want to know what job you applied for and what skills you should sell in the interview.
Note: Yahoo HotJobs and MSN CareerBuilder offer similar searches and tools. However, both carry more spam, scam jobs and old, recycled job postings. Monster does have some scam postings, but there jobs are rarely old or recycled.