Optimize Online Job Searches
There are numerous job search sites available across the web. How do you know where to search to get the best matches for you? Wouldn't it be great if you could search all job sites simultaneously and keep up on job offerings as soon as they are posted? You can! Here's how:
Contents
Steps
- Get an RSS Feed Reader. Feed Readers allow you to subscribe to websites that update frequently, delivering content to you as it is posted. You can find many free reader applications online that can either be downloaded to your desktop or used as an online app. The benefit of online readers is that you can access them from any computer. Try Google Reader for its ease of use and its many handy features.
- Go to Indeed.com, a job search aggregate site that searches for results from numerous job listings including job sites like monster.com and Workopolis, catchall sites like Craigslist and even local newspaper classifieds. Use the advanced search to narrow down your criteria and a list of jobs from all available sources will populate the screen
- Copy the RSS link for this list found on the right sidebar of Indeed.com onto your clipboard.
- Paste the link into the Add Subscription box or your reader and press Enter. The feed will be listed. Now, every time a new job is listed that matches your criteria, it will appear in your reader.
- Optionally, choose the email alert service offered on the site to have postings sent to your email account. This is also a good method of keeping track of job postings; however, utilizing a feed reader may offer better features (tagging, sharing, flagging, etc.) for organizing individual postings.
- Check your email regularly.
Tips
- Using the Age filter to restrict results to shorter time spans will ensure that the postings are always new
- Use AND between search terms to limit criteria (e.g.: Legal AND secretary)
- Use OR between search terms to broaden criteria (e.g.: Medical OR Legal)
- While you don't need an Indeed.com account to take advantage of this optimized online job search strategy, registering gives you the opportunity to manage searches, alerts, and other job search activities.
Warnings
- Don't let online job searches take the place of pounding the pavement. Remember that most available jobs are not advertised at all!
