Online Job Searching - Tips From The Experts

 Unemployment in the USA has come down recently as the recession has eased. But it's still historically high - around 9%. This means, if you're looking for a job, you're facing terrific competition in almost all fields and occupations.

Better let the Internet help you out in your job search! It's a great job-hunting tool, but you need to know what you're doing. Following are a few insightful tips from the experts.

-- Start out by first developing your resume. Your resume will give you the keywords (e.g., skills and qualifications) you'll need to use in searching the various career information databases of job openings. Also, you'll probably want to post an online version of your resume to a couple of the many online resume services which employers can scan. Just don't expect too much from online resume posting unless you're in a tech field, and even then most calls will probably come from recruiters, not employers.

-- Make a list of likely companies that might hire you. Use a source like Hoovers.com to compile yur list. Then contact likely hiring officials at those companies even if you don't know if there's a current opening in your field. This way you preempt the many people who will apply for jobs once they become publicized. You can also make a company list easily by going to the Yahoo directory (not the search engine, the directory) and drilling down to your specific industry or occupation. The best way to make an initial contact is by letter, unless you know someone that can arrange an interview or phone call for you. Never send email as an initial contact.

-- Get involved in online networking. Today there are literally thousands of online discussion groups in virtually every occupation, field, topic and interest you can imagine. People are very informal in these groups and with luck you may find yourself in a one-to-one conversation with a vice president or personnel director. At any rate, try to post informative comments to the group, and try to strike up conversations, especially with people you think may turn into good contacts. To locate groups in your field or occupation, the best resource is Google Groups. (By the way, Web Search Guides is starting a group, too. See "Discussion Group" section below.) Caution: Be careful what you post on any group - your name/screen name/comments may be archived and searchable via Google Groups for years to come.Effective resume formats