(Get on mailing lists for large companies in your area. Most of them now have HR systems that will send you job openings via e-mail that match your criteria.)
Sorta. My current job was advertised on Monster, via an agency. Although the agency kept the company name a secret, from the job description it was clear that there could only be one company here in York PA that would be offering this positon. I went to their web site and checked and sure enough it was posted. I figured that if they had a choice between two equal candidates, one they had to pay a head hunter fee and one they didn’t, they would pick the one they didn’t. I applied directly, rather than through the agency on Monster.
Yeah, I got my current job through Monster.com. An ad on Monster for my current job had a direct link to the company’s website. I know that at least one other person hired at the same time had found the job through Monster as well.
I applied for a few other jobs through Monster, though, and never heard anything at all.
I tried to have them send me search results on a regular basis…all I ever got were five identical ads per day from some work-at-home scam.
I’ve had a lot of luck with Monster.com. My last job before this one, I got at Monster.com. While looking for that job, I also got a job offer from another company which I denied. After losing that job, I got several interviews and one job offer through Monster, though I ended up working for a company my friend referred me to.
Both times I looked for work through Monster, I got calls for interviews within a week. I usually do a search for jobs in my area that roughly fit my skills, and just go down the list sending resumes and filling out online applications where available. I kept track the first time I did a job search through Monster, and I applied at 43 companies to get two job offers. This more recent search, I probably applied at about 30 companies, and got a lot more interviews than the first time (about 3 years ago).
You have to apply, though. The only contact I’ve received from companies I didn’t contact first have been from ‘Make money working for yourself at home!’ places and pyramid schemes.
Results for a near entry level position on monster may not be as good as for someone with more experience. Review your resume - make sure any computer system experience is detailed (including names of applications and how long you utilized it).
Also, many firms now access ALL of their clerical staff via various staffing firms (at least for a trial period). I would recommend submitting your resume directly to some of the local staffing firms. It may not be perfect, but it may be your best way to get your foot in the door with their client.
I found my current job posted at flipdog.com, though I can’t say it had any role in my getting the job
The most useful cunction for me was an email flipdog sent to me each yime there was a “new” position that used any words from a list of keywords I created. After a couple of months about 80% of the emails were duplicates of previous postings that were re-listed, though.
If you aren’t religious about checking all the local papers daily, then a service like this is invaluable.
I had a resume up on careerbuilder.com (and monster and the rest) for weeks with no nibble. Then a temp agency called me up on a Friday evening and asked if I could start immediately. I said yes, thinking they meant Monday morning.
I got my current job through Monster. Saw the ad, mailed off my resume, had a call within a couple hours.
I had an ad posted at careerbuilder for a while and got several calls on it. None when I was actually looking for a job, of course. (I forgot to take the ad down. In fact, it may still be up. Hm.)
I will say that I believe Monster.com has gone downhill over the past couple of years. There are so many work from home ads on there that it makes it very difficult to find legitimate jobs. Also, do they really need to post the Naval reserve jobs in EVERY category?