4 Secrets Online Job Hunting

How To: Online Job Hunting

If you're one of the millions of Americans looking for work, the Internet can be a key resource, albeit a daunting one. Spend time searching through Monster.com online job listings, and you may even argue that the Internet is counter-productive to your job hunt. However, a discussion paper written in September 2011 for The Institute for the Study of Labor in Bonn, Germany, found that Internet job searching "reduces individual workers' unemployment durations by about 25 percent."

Here's how to use the Web to connect with the right people for your job hunt.  Ironically, the best time to prepare for looking for a job online is before you're unemployed. If you've established a connection with others in your field, or those in the field or company you wish you worked for, you won't be scrambling to find them when you need them. But don't despair -- it's never too late to (social) network your way to the connection that might hook you up with your next job.

BE Positive

First, regardless of the circumstances, never post negative comments about your past or present employer or co-workers. Words typed online stay there forever. You don't want to appear negative, catty or hard to work with to someone who may hold the key to your dream job.

BE Careful

Second, don't broadcast your newly unemployed status. It's much harder to get someone to connect with you when the only thing driving the connection is your desire for help. If you send out Facebook friend requests, be sure to include a personal message with why you'd like to connect -- something other than your hope that the person will help you find employment. If the cat is already out of the bag, try to present your situation in a positive light, such as highlighting the time you've been able to dedicate to perfecting a skill you feel makes you a great fit for their company.

BE Social

Determine those professional colleagues with whom you've bonded and add them to your social network through Facebook, Google Plus or Twitter. Touch base with these contacts frequently through "liking" their posts or commenting on them. If you stay on their radar, they're more likely to know who you are and think of you in a positive light when the time comes to ask for a recommendation.

While existing social networks are a good place to start, consider LinkedIn, a professional networking resource that allows you to stay connected with colleagues (past and present), others in your industry and personal contacts that may know helpful people in your field. It's free to establish a profile, but a monthly fee applies for some services, such as getting in touch with hiring managers through their network and access to professionals who provide advice related to your online job search.

LinkedIn allows you to create a resume-like profile listing your work experience and maintain a collection of personal recommendations. Take advantage of this. Offer to write recommendations for friends and colleagues, and ask them to reciprocate before you fall out of touch. Search your network for links to a company or industry to find out if, for example, your college roommate is connected to the head of sales at your dream company. This mutual contact may be your "foot in the door."

BE Specific

Finally, use the Internet to your advantage. Instead of sending a resume "to whom it may concern," search a company's website for a specific contact in the appropriate department. Try to connect with them personally in a friendly, non-aggressive manner. If the company has a RSS feed or a LinkedIn page, subscribe to it. This may let you see when people retire or change positions, giving you an inside link to possible online job openings.

Photo used by permission: Robert S. Donovan