ALT-2 Best Job Searching Sites
Searching for a job used to mean picking up the classifieds or walking around looking for help wanted signs, but no more. Now we sit in the comfort of our homes, type in a few keywords and presto - we have a new job. Well, maybe it isn't that simple, but using Internet job sites has certainly made job hunting more convenient, if not easier.
I'm currently trying to find more gainful employment, and here are some of the sites I have used "in anger". Although I haven't found my dream job yet, these sites have all proven to be useful, helpful and accurate.
1) Monster.com - This is my site of choice, especially when I was looking for a proper job, like technical writing. It's easy to use, you can search the US and the world, it recommends jobs that don't appear in typical searches (based on additional information in your resume), there is a 'local' feature highlighting jobs in your area and it lets you know how often your resume is being viewed. The jobs returned seemed to be legitimate, not just work-from-home scams, like some of the other sites I've tried.
2) Indeed.com - This site is a little different from the standard job search sites - you don't enter a resume, there's limited advice offered and no sales pitches for loans or college degrees. Indeed.com searches all the other job sites and returns reams of job openings, based on a few keywords and a location. There is an advanced search with more detailed keyword selection, company name, full-time/part-time and expanded location options. Click on the job title and you go to the site where the job was originally listed. All the jobs I read through looked legitimate and there were few if any duplicates.
3) SimplyHired.com - This site is similar to Indeed.com, but provides additional filtering options using company size, education and experience requirements and 'special filters' based on your job preferences. My special filters included dog-friendly companies, as I was searching for a position in kennel management.
4) Jobbankinfo.org - This site is sponsored by the Department of Labor. The front page is a map of the States - click on a state and you are sent the job bank site for the state you selected. Jobbankinfo.org includes links to information on salaries, job projections, and self-assessment testing, as well as the usual advice on resumes, careers and so on. I've registered on several of the state sites, and you need to be prepared to provide your social security number.
5) USAJobs.gov - If you would like to work for Uncle Sam, this is the site for you. A wide variety of jobs are listed, apart from the President's position, although we all know he's leaving later this year. Salaries for these jobs are listed up-front (you don't see that on every site) and some of them are pretty enticing. I haven't actually applied for a job here, as I said, the one I wanted wasn't listed, but there are a large number of jobs available.
The Internet provides a wealth of information and opportunities, as well as a wealth of scams and pretenders. Pick the sites you use with care, be prepared to do a lot of the work yourself and don't fall for anything that seems just too good to be true. Happy hunting!
