I first posted my resume on Monster.com about 4 years ago. Within the last 2-3 years I have also posted on CareerBuilder and Hotjobs.
Not content to merely post my resume, I signed up for the weekly job alert emails, actively searched the sites, and wrote tailored cover letters to potential employers. It’s safe to say that I have applied to 100-200 jobs online, especially since I’ve been effectively unemployed over the last year.
These jobs break down thusly:
5% are “dream jobs” for which I have a snowball’s chance in hell, but I have a good general CV and an interesting background, why not throw my hat into the ring? Most of these are positions that I have the skills for, but not necessarily the direct industry experience.
20-25% are "reach jobs. " I’m pretty sure they aren’t gonna call me (it’s too far away, they’ll go with local candidates first; it’s in a very competitive field, etc.) but the job is interesting and cool and I can sell myself really well for the position. Maybe the hiring manager went to the same university as me or something.
60% are jobs where I should have a really good shot. The position description asks for this? I’ve got this, and some of that too. They need a person with x? I’ve got x[sup]2+y+z.[/sup] These have been scarcer in recent months.
10-15% are jobs that I don’t even necessarily want, but I’m decently qualified, I’m local, and I need a #%@ job.
100-200 jobs. Two years. Zero telephone calls. In no case have I just hit the “submit” button. I always tailor a cover letter, do research on the company. I write resumes for people on a freelance basis, and I KNOW that mine is clear, well-written, and sells my skills and education well. I just got one of my best friends into business school. FYI, I also scan local papers, have joined several area professional organizations to network, have hit up my school’s alumni network…I’m not relying solely on the Internet.
Yesterday I got a reminder from Monster.com that I need to update my resume or it will expire. And my reaction was “Great commercials, but what have you done for me lately?”
Whew, thanks for listening. Anyway, my questions/opinions for the Teeming Millions:
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Have any of you had any luck with Internet job boards such as Monster, HotJobs, CareerBuilder? How did it work for you?
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My theory is that these boards are a good informational resource for job seekers - with salary info, who is hiring where - but that companies generally don’t hire people they find on-line. In fact, they advertise on Monster only when they are desperate.
Is this different in other parts of the country? For example, Silicon Valley vs. New York City?
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Job applications received through the web are a low priority for hiring managers and recruiters. And because they think you put little effort into contacting them, they will no longer contact you to say “we received your resume, thank you - we have filled the position, but we’ll be hiring some people early next year. Contact us again in January.” (I used to get calls like this all the time in D.C., and would do the same when I was recruiting).
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So, in fact, I’d say on-line job services have made it harder to find jobs. Recruiters get inundated with 10,000 shite resumes for every good one. There is a greater chance you will get lost in the masses. Job seekers put energy into internet searches instead of the old-fashioned method of making contacts and shaking hands. The resume format sucks, and turns everyone into a cookie cutter.
Comments? Is there any validity to this or am I just feeling bitter today at my $13/hour temp job? Has everyone else always known that these sites are useless and I was just a naive sucker for their cool commercials and the hype surrounding it? Do all of you have great jobs you found on-line?
[Edited by TVeblen on 11-19-2001 at 09:03 PM]