Are Job Boards Really All Theyre Cracked Up To Be

Are Job Boards Really All They’re Cracked Up to Be? In some ways, the Internet has made looking for a job a lot easier. Compared with having to scour classified adverts in newspapers, subscribe to commerce journals, work with recruiters and chilly-name potential employers, the task of learning about open positions and applying for jobs has by no means been easier. Despite the professionals of searching for a job on-line, nevertheless, there are also some cons, especially in terms of job boards websites. We’d like that will help you weigh the advantages and drawbacks before searching for your subsequent profession. Pro: Job Sites Make Searching and Applying Easier Sites like CareerBuilder, Monster and Indeed make job looking out simpler than ever. With options to simply search for careers primarily based on location, subject, wage and job necessities, these sites gather jobs from everywhere in the world. They also make it simple to submit a cover letter and resume and apply for several jobs inside minutes. Online job boards have helped hundreds of applicants find jobs and stay gainfully employed. Con: Job Sites Make Searching and Applying Easier Yet the identical trait that makes job websites simple to make use of also provides them a low success rate. Because they make it so easy to submit resumes, applicants face serious competitors when utilizing them. On Monster alone, 427,000 new resumes are posted every week, and a median of 250 candidates apply to each job opening. Other job websites boast comparable statistics. The numbers don’t lie: Less than 10% of candidates who use job websites right now get a job by way of these websites. (Click here to tweet this stat.) This isn’t as a result of lack of experience or skills on the candidates’ part, so much as it's to the overwhelming competition from different candidates on the site. Con: Job Sites Don’t Focus on Networking Forbes reviews that although there have been 3.6 million job openings in 2012, roughly eighty% of these jobs have been by no means publicly marketed. In different words, around 2.9 million job openings that 12 months were by no means printed on job websites. Although the statistics for job openings have modified in 2014, the proportion of “non-public” hires has not. To be considered for that 80% of job openings, applicants have to know somebody with a connection to the job. Networking with other professionals and companies of their fields and making sturdy, private connections is the easiest way to do that. Ultimately, employers usually tend to rent people they know or those that come with a personal recommendation than people they don’t know. And it saves time and power for companies to not publish their openings and rely more on networking. Rather than spend time applying to job sites as another “anonymous” applicant, job seekers should focus on constructing and utilizing personal networks. Applicants should spend time reaching out to online contacts to meet in particular person, attending conventions, visiting trade reveals and becoming a member of networking golf equipment and occasions. But focusing extra on networking doesn’t mean the applicant ought to neglect completely about job sites â€" persons are nonetheless finding success on these sites, nevertheless limited, and applicants ought to all the time hit their job search from as many angles as potential to find success. Pro: Job Sites Depict and Forecast Growing Job Sectors The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics factors out that between 2012 and 2022, the job sectors with the best amount of progress would be the healthcare, social help and development sectors. Sectors on the decline throughout this period embody federal authorities, agriculture, info and utilities. Viewing job sites to see which careers are growing â€" primarily based on the job postings in sure categories â€" would possibly prove helpful to find out what type of degree to earn, what to return to highschool for if wanted, or what additional coaching or specialization is important to get a job. Conclusion Ultimately, job websites might help you discover a job, however building and sustaining a strong personal network is much more likely to yield fruit. For applicants with small or limited networks, on-line websites can still help, and will nonetheless be used â€" but not relied on solely. Online job boards are trying to bridge the hole between networking and job searches by providing more ways to interact personally, and the social media site LinkedIn specifically is making an attempt to fill that void. It’s tough to say exactly the place job searching will go sooner or later, however proper now, private connections are essential to landing the best careers. Where have you ever had essentially the most luck in your job search? On job board sites, or elsewhere? Image: Flickr