The Internet has made job-hunting easier, in many respects. There are huge job bank websites with thousands of job listings that make it a cinch to search by job title, industry, state, and even salary. You can even post your resumé for employers to review online.
Some sites allow you to post a profile of the type of job you are looking for and will e-mail job listings directly to you whenever they appear—as if from some thoughtful electronic genie. There are even sites that allow you to network with other job-hunters; you can ask questions or find and offer leads.
Most newspapers now have their help-wanted sections online, which you can easily browse by key words, making it as simple to job hunt in different cities as in your home city. What’s even better: Many online newspaper ads appear before the ads appear in print.
Nowadays, most companies and associations have their own websites; just search them out and surf until you find where they post their job openings.
Many even allow you to apply for a job and send your resumé in electronically.
Even if you don’t own a computer with an Internet connection through a company like America Online (AOL), Compuserve, or a telephone/cable company, you can get online for free at your public library. There are even free e-mail services you can sign up for where you can check your e-mail at any computer connected to the Internet, such as Hotmail and Yahoo.
The following are a list of sites that I have found quite useful, so check them out!
American City Business Journalswww.bizjournals.comFree searching in many local business publications, plus weekly reports on over 40 industries by e-mail and news-tracker service whenever a company appears in print by e-mail. Also publishes the Book of Lists for public, private, nonprofit, and government employers and by industry.
CareerBuilder.comwww.careerbuilder.comExtensive job listings and resumé postings for many industries, career fairs, and career resources.
CareerJournal.comwww.careerjournal.comExtensive professional and managerial job listings and resumé postings for many industries, salary information, and articles about job hunting and career growth on this Wall Street Journal website.
CEO Expresswww.ceoexpress.comFree links to business journals and news by industry, plus lots of other business information.
CoolWorks.comwww.coolworks.comJob listings for “fun” jobs in national parks, beach and ski resorts, ranches, camps, and with tour companies.
FedWorldwww.fedworld.govA huge database of federal government jobs.
The Five O’Clock Clubwww.fiveoclockclub.comCareer coaching and outplacement network offering counseling and lectures in small groups nationwide in person or by teleconference. Also publishes a monthly newsletter and job-hunting books.
JobStarwww.jobstar.orgLinks to salary surveys for numerous industries, many conducted by trade associations and trade or general magazines, plus California job listings.
Hoover’swww.hoovers.comFree basic company, news, and financial information with links to company websites. Overview, top competitors, history, products, key executives, etc., for a fee.
HotJobs.comwww.hotjobs.comExtensive job listings.
MedSearchwww.medsearch.comHealth-care job listings for nursing, social services, medical/lab technology, pharmacy, physical therapy, and radiology.
Monsterwww.monster.comExtensive job listings and resumé postings in many industries, a free job-search agent that will e-mail job listings to you, and online networking with others in similar industries near your zip code.
National Association of Colleges and Employerswww.naceweb.orgJob listings, resumé postings, employer profiles, career fair, summer job information, and college career center listings for recent college graduates and students. Also sells books on specific industries.
Nonprofit Career Networkwww.nonprofitcareer.comDirectory of nonprofit organizations and job fairs for the nonprofit field.
PreferredJobswww.preferredjobs.comJob listings, resumé postings, and career fair listings for different industries.
ReportGallerywww.reportgallery.comFree copies of annual reports from over 2,200 companies.
The Riley Guidewww.dbm.com/jobguideSurveys on industries, trade associations, and opportunities for women and minorities; government reports; and links to job-listing sites for different industries.
Salary.comwww.salary.comLists salaries by job type, experience level, and location for many industries.
Society for Human Resource Managementwww.shrm.orgA website for human resources (personnel) staffers with news and trends in the industry (so you know what your interviewer is reading).
Techinterviewhttp://techinterview.orgDozens of “puzzle” and trick questions often asked during interviews for high-tech jobs are featured here, with message boards.
Vault.comwww.vault.comDetailed industry overviews and information on big companies (both free and for a fee), industry-specific and company-specific message boards for questions about career paths and salaries, a “day in the life” feature about many different jobs, and a free job-search agent that can e-mail job listings to you. Particularly strong in law, finance, consulting, and jobs that require MBA degrees.