If you are looking for a change, you are probably actively browsing the Net and checking information systems that can help you land a job. Internet has made life easier and brought the world closer. Also, for job seekers, it has been easier to explore opportunities with the click of a mouse. Realizing the need and demand for tools to facilitate ease of job search, many information systems have come about to make things easier.
If you are also looking for a job and want to know more about platforms that can help you help you find opportunities, here are some information systems you will find useful:
Google
Google has been a pioneer in making the Internet more relevant for its users. It has upgraded its services to help users find jobs and advance their careers. Google Alerts, for example, is a potent tool that has made it easier for job seekers to explore opportunities. Instead of checking several job boards daily, Google Alerts lets users set up an alarm and receive information on new openings automatically.
Another powerful platform from Google is Google+, which features Circles to take the social experience to another level. By posting your job messages for appropriate Circles, you can improve your chances of getting a job. Likewise, there are several hangouts that have made it easier to appear for interviews without the hassle of traveling.
Monster
Monster is one of the earliest information systems developed to help job seekers around the world. Over the years, this job search engine has undergone several changes to make it easier for its users to get a job. You can narrow down your search by keyword, location, employer, and salary. To further help its users, Monster provides additional features such as job search alerts, online resume posting, and networking boards.
LinkedIn
In the age of social networking, employers are looking for innovative ways to connect with prospective employees. To help professionals connect with one another and find appropriate job openings, LinkedIn has created a balanced ecosystem. What sets LinkedIn apart from other information systems is the professional approach it adopts. It is a platform where only professionals gather, exchange ideas, interact, and find job opportunities.
For employers, a quick search on LinkedIn provides an overview of the candidate's academic and professional background. It is a more informative medium than the resume to know about the candidate as profile features include recommendations from colleagues, managers, and clients.
Craigslist
Craigslist is a very effective medium to find out about interesting job openings. You can search by city and find various job openings. You can even set up RSS feeds to know about jobs that may be of some interest to you. A word of caution though is to verify the authenticity of the ads on Craigslist because it is a free site and anyone can post job openings on it.
Facebook
Another useful medium to find out about job openings is Facebook. Although the site is extensively used for social networking, in the recent years it has become a very useful medium to connect with prospective employers. Considering the amount of time people spend on Facebook, hiring managers feel that the profile provides a lot of insightful information.
To become a more useful platform for job search, Facebook launched a Social Jobs App that provides listings from BranchOut and Monster. As the number of HR managers resorting to Facebook to find candidates increases, this social networking site is trying to become more user-friendly.
Thanks to the information systems, you don't have to waste your time and energy on job search. A great profile on the popular sites can land you the right job.
William Stevens writes articles in relation to technology. In this article, he offers a few systems that aid job search, and aims to encourage further study with a master of information systems management.
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
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