Job Search is a full time job

   

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Internet Job hunting - Job Sites, LinkedIn and iProfile

If you don't own a computer or know how to use the internet, go to the library. All public libraries have computers and librarians will be more than happy to help you get started in your search. The Citizens Advice Bureau also have some computers that they make available under a booking scheme. Job Centres can put you in contact with 3rd party organisation that can help you, although these may only be free after being unemployed for a minimum period, e.g. 6 months.

Watch out for potential scams, such as unsolicited e-mails that promise jobs outside of the country as well as Web sites or other advertisements that tell you that they can guarantee you a job if you supply personal information such as banking and social security numbers.   

Most employers have their own web site and a web page to display current vacancies. Large organisation like the NHS, local government and departments of national government have a wide range of jobs and update them frequently.

Use alert systems on job boards and be sure to check a company's website for employment advertisements.

Employers looking for candidates are also choosing to search job sites where job seekers have posted their resume. The job may be filled without ever being advertised.

Most employers use recruitment agencies to find candidates. The agent gets a commission for a placement, typically the equivalent of a month's salary for the post being advertised but could be as much as 3 months. Recruitment is expensive for the employer. There may also be a recruitment campaign and a significant budget spent to find the right candidate. If you can get in before such budgets are committed the employer can save a large sum of money.

If you have concerns about identity theft and confidentiality you can opt to leave personal identifying information off the resume and provide an anonymous e-mail address and forwarding phone number. Most job sites and agencies have resume banks were you can upload directly to the site or cut and paste. A bit tedious, but it is worth the effort in the long run to sign up with several agencies; the more the better. Link up those that use iProfile first and sign up on several others. There are web sites that offer, at a price, to upload to several agencies for you automatically - fine, but you loose control over what is uploaded and what that agency will actually see.

Some agencies will create an iProfile based upon your CV. This will usually be in a mess and not very friendly, but will have loaded all the buzz words that the agency uses for their search. iProfile is basically a prescribed form and format. You have to enter your CV in the format they provide. The advantage to the employer is that all the profiles they look through are formatted the same way.

If you have internet access at home then your ISP (Internet Service Provider) is likely to provide web space along with your e-mail addresses. You can choose to post your resume along with more details of the projects and work that you have done. Alternatively you can use a networking website like LinkedIn.com. When an agency contacts you to get your latest resume you can point them to the web site and follow up later by e-mail.

Employers have large fees when posting vacancies on the larger web sites and will use some of the smaller ones but after they have tried to find qualified candidates currently on the job market. If you want the exposure post your resume to all the best sites, large and small and keep them up to date.

Use iLinkedIn to find the correct contact, probably by telephone. Have a conversation with them, understand their needs, do not ask about a job but ask about what is happening with the industry. Talk with them, tell them you are looking for a job, what type and where. If you are a match and there is an opening the contact on the phone will say "Send me a resume" or give you a contact who may have an opening. Never send out a resume to people in your LinkedIn network and say "Do you know somebody in your network that can employ me?" You are telling them you are too lazy to find your own job.

When you e-mail a recruitment agency include in the first paragraph the kind of job you are looking for. The second paragraph describes exactly why you are qualified for that job. A good recruiter only needs a minute to decide if you are a fit for any of their current clients. If you are they will find you.

Most recruitment web sites also include advise on writing a CV, on interviews and the process of hunting for a new job. There is no magic formulae and it is worth trying most suggestions among the hundreds of variations on a theme.


 
     

References

Recruitment agencies:

Direct to the employer:


Last updated 27th March 2019