Job Searching Online 8 Best Practices You Need to Know

Job Searching Online 8 Best Practices You Need to KnowJob Searching Online 8 Best Practices You Need to Know6When youre job searching online, its all about maximizing your efficiency. After all, you dont want to languidly job search you want a job now. If youre job searching online, below arethebest practices you need to know.Here are eight best practices you need to know about job searching online1. Dont wait.Its late at night and youre perusing job postings. You spot one that catches your eye and think, Oh, Ill apply for that position in the morning. Dont. Chances are, if that job caught your eye, it also caught the eye of dozens (if not hundreds) of other job seekers, too. They might not wait until morning light to send in their job application, and you shouldnt either. When you spot a job you really want, apply for it right then. Dont delay.2. Use smaller, niche job sites.Even though everyone does it, job searching is a very personal experience. As such, it makes sense that you w ant to make your search as specific as possible. Using smaller, niche job sites- like - can ensure that you not only will find legitimate telecommuting and flexible jobs (and avoid job scams that are often found on larger job search boards), but that youll also have a speedier and happier search because youre not sifting through millions of unrelated job listings to find the gems that match your needs.3. Sign up for job alerts via text or schmelzglas.Sometimes, you dont want to wait until the last minute to find out about a new job listing, especially from a company you really want to work for. Signing up for job alerts via text or email means that youll learn about job listings right as they go live. It can make all the difference between your job application winding up at the top- or the bottom- of the resume pile.4. Apply to the newest jobs first.Lets say you find a job that really intrigues youbut its also a three-week-old listing. Applying for it might end up in a job interview , but maybe not. Hiring managers might cap the amount of resumes they receive by a certain date (possibly a week or two), and if you send yours in too late, its like you never sent it in at all. Whenever possible, apply for the newest jobs first so you position yourself as the key candidate5. Pinpoint companies over jobs.You know you want a full-time telecommuting IT job, but you really dont care what company you work for. Sometimes, though, its better to target the companies that youd like to become an employee of rather than the job you want. Switching your job search mindset to focus on companies first might help expedite your job search and allow you to find a position that hasnt been posted on job boards yet.6. Make sure your social media is professional.If someone were to ask you, youd say youre active on social media. You like to post pictures of your cat, and you often vent your thoughts (in 140 characters or less) on Twitter. But that doesnt a professional social media pres ence make, so its in your best interest to clean up your online image ASAP. Start by setting your existing profiles to private, and remove any unflattering photos or comments if possible (that includes asking your friends to take down those incriminating pictures of you from the New Years Eve party). Once youve done that, start new social media accounts that show the professional side of you- and update them often. After all, hiring managers are notorious for scoping out potential job seekers online, so you want to make sure you always put your best foot forward- in real life and online, too.7. Have a LinkedIn profile.Beyond the usual social media suspects (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc.), the big daddy of social media accounts that every job seeker should have is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is the easiest way to showcase your skills, education, and work experiences to a potential employer- and it is possibly the number one social media profile an employer would check ou t first. Make sure yours is current, polished, and showcases you in the most attractive (and hirable) light possible.8. Reach out. If theres one company you desperately want to work for, but it hasnt posted any positions youre qualified for, theres absolutely no reason why you cant simply reach out anyway. Contact the hiring manager and introduce yourself, explaining how much you love the company (do your research first before making the call) and the type of position youre looking for. Chances are, he will have you send in your application anyway. While this might seem like a waste of time, it isnt. Your resume will be saved, and when the position you want opens up, your job application will be at the top of the list, before any other job seeker.Job searching online can be tedious but there are ways to make it work in your favor. These need-to-know job search tips can help create a job search experience that yields an amazing job opportunity meant just for you.Readers, do you follo w any of these tips? What else have you found to be useful when job searching online? Let us know in the comments