People are always telling us
that every night, they start searching online in the
same place, and well, heck, they
spend so much time in those pages that they
never get anywhere else. To this,
we respond, "So, why are you doing that?"
Every time you connect, start
someplace new. Pick out a select list of general
resources, use them to find more
specific resources, and keep moving. Things
change, but not so rapidly that
you will miss something important if you
check there only twice a week.
Plan your online job search strategy so you
don't get stuck in one place
and waste time and money.
Here's an outline of what we
think is your best plan for spending your time
online wisely. It's based on
a simple idea: Remember to move from general to
specific, but always remember
to move!
1. Visit the large information
databases first. These include virtual libraries and
large recruiting sites such
as CareerBuilder (http://www.careerbuilder.com) .
Look for links to information
in your chosen field or industry. Repeat this
search every few days—for
example, Monday and Thursday.
2. Move on to the smaller, more
exclusive resources and services, including
online resource guides and
sites dedicated to your field or industry. You
want to find links to employers
or collected information in your field that
can give you leads or networking
contacts. Repeat this search every few
days—say, Tuesday and Friday.
3. Use the search engines to
locate new and hidden resources specific to your
occupation and field. If you
are interested in a certain company, search on
the company name, any variations
or nicknames by which it is known, and
names of its major products.
Repeat this search every few days-maybe
Wednesday and Saturday.
4. Finally, shut off the computer
and spend some time with your family
friends, and yourself. Take
the seventh day and relax, do some reading walk
outside, and remind yourself
that there is a world out there and people to
talk to. You can even update
your resume or prepare some cover letters but
don't go onto the Internet.
Play with your dog or scratch the cat, and if you
don't have a dog or cat, substitute
whatever pets you have. All work and no
play ,ust stresses us out more
and makes everything, even our job search
much harder. Your health and
well-being are important at this juncture, so
take some time to recover.
PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT
STATEMENT IN THIS ENTIRE BOOK
The Internet cannot be the
only resource you use for your job search!
You must continue to utilize
all contacts, information resources, and services
available to you for the most
effective and efficient search for employment
Continue to attend meetings,
pick up the telephone and call people, and use
the reference books in your local
library. Remember, there are four activities-
researching, reviewing job leads,
networking, and preparing a resume-and
each has two facets.
Limit your time online to one-quarter
(25 percent) of the total time you can
dedicate to your job search .
. . unless you are a techie who is working in any
area related to computer networks
or programming. In that case, move it up
to one-half (50 percent) of your
time, but make sure your skills are current in
order for you to be your most
competitive.
