Post Your Resume on Monster
Monster.com began the online employment trend in 1994 and has steadily grown bigger. It's now a publicly traded, world-wide business that pairs job seekers with available jobs. Monster now offers more than an online help wanted section. It has branched out into job recruitment and career management. Monster has also partnered with a great number of social networking sites. Knowing how to post your resume on Monster gives you access to its vast resources.
Contents
Steps
Creating an Account
- Go to the Monster website. You can find the website by clicking here.
- Sign in to your account. If you already have an account with Monster, log on using your name and password.
- Create an account. If you don’t already have an account, you will need to create one.
- Click on “Log In” in the upper, right hand side of the screen.
- Look on the middle, right hand side of the screen. It will say “Don’t have a Monster account? with a link next to it that says “sign up”. Click this link.
- Choose whether you want Monster to sign you up using your Facebook account or if you want to sign up manually. Signing up with your Facebook account will likely be faster, but keep in mind that this will give a Monster a limited amount of access to your account. If you would prefer to keep your social media separate from your job search, it is best to sign up manually.
- Enter your information. If you are signing up manually, enter your information into the fields provided. You will be asked to provide information about your most recent jobs, so have this information readily available.
Uploading your Resume
- Choose your file. You likely have a file with your resume ready to go. However, if you don’t, you should take the time to prepare a well-thought out, clear resume.
- Monster’s website accepts files that end in “.doc”, “.docx”, “.pdf”, “.rtf”, “.txt”. If you have created your resume using a different format, change the file extension so that it will be accepted. Be sure to open the new file before posting to see if the formatting has been changed in the new file type!
- Be aware that the file cannot exceed 500 kilobytes. If your file is too big, try converting it to a different format. For example, PDF files work well, but tend to be quite large, try converting it to a “.doc” or “.docx” file.
- Choose whether or not you want your resume to be “searchable”. By making your resume searchable, you give employers the chance to discover your resume on their own. If you would like to opt-in for this, check the box to the left of, “Make this resume searchable to employers?”
- Be aware that by making your resume searchable, you are making your information available to a large number of people. This may be helpful in finding a job, but may be concerning for some. If you prefer to maintain your privacy, do not check this box.
- Choose whether or not you want your resume to be searchable by employers seeking diversity candidates. Some employers are looking for qualified candidates who will add diversity to their organization. This typically means they are seeking a candidate who is in some way a minority (e.g. race, gender, etc.). If you are considered a minority in one way or another, it can be helpful to check this box, as you may be more likely to be contacted.
- Again, be aware that this makes your resume available to many people. If you would prefer to maintain more privacy, do not check this box.
- Consider submitting your resume for a free evaluation by a resume expert. You will be asked whether or not you want your resume to be evaluated by a “trusted resume expert”. They will provide you with a few tips on how to improve your resume, but will likely want payment if you are interested in more than a very superficial evaluation of your resume. If you would like to use this free service, check the box next to “Submit my resume for a free evaluation from a trusted resume expert.”
- Enter your “Desired Job Title”. If you are looking for a job as an accountant, you can enter “Accountant”. If you are interested in work as a elementary school teacher, teaching the second grade, enter “Second Grade Teacher”.
- Choose your work authorization. If you are a United States Citizen, you are most likely entitled to work for any employer in the United States. However, if you are not a US citizen, you may require sponsorship. If you are not a US citizen, consult the embassy of your country to find out if you are allowed to work in the United States.
Improving Your Profile on Monster
- Fill out your profile as completely as possible. When you are logged into your Monster Profile, you will see that there is space to provide information about yourself such as your certifications, education, interests, awards, etc. If you plan to make your profile public, it is good to have this information filled out even though it may be mostly the same information that is in your resume.
- Upload a picture. While not mandatory, having a picture shows that you are a serious job seeker. Upload a picture that is as professional as possible. You may have had professional head shots taken, but if you have not, choose a picture that clearly shows your face, where you look well-dressed, and that doesn't contain other people.
- Edit your visibility. If you want people to be able to view your resume and profile or if you want to make your information more private, you can do so by editing your privacy settings.
- Click on the eye underneath “Profile Visibility”, which is in the middle of the screen on the right hand side.
- Options include:
- “Visible”, which means everyone can search for and view your information,
- ”Limited”, giving everyone the ability to search for and view your profile, but keeps your contact information private,
- and, “Private”. With this option your profile is only visible to you and cannot be searched for. This is a good option if you only want to search for jobs and want the highest amount of privacy.
- Share your profile. You will be given the opportunity to choose a unique link that will take interested people directly to your profile. You can share this link on your social and professional networking sites if you want to increase the chances that you will be seen.
Tips
- Monster now has an application for iPads.
- Monster recommends making a great first impression with a cover letter that accompanies your resume.
Warnings
- Be cautious about sharing your information on the internet! You can never be completely sure who is looking at your information if you make it available to everyone.
- At various intervals, Monster uses advertisements, typically related to online schools and universities. If you are not paying attention it will be easy to click the link, which will take you away from the website. If you are not interested in the advertisement, move on by clicking the small print below that says "Skip Ad".
