10 Tips For Finding Jobs Online

Online job hunting can be like finding your way through a maze, but these 10 tips for finding a job online will help give you some direction. Taking the time to craft a strong resume, choosing the right employment sites, and keeping your profile fresh will increase your chances of success in your online job search. Use these strategies to guide your online job searching efforts

1. Craft a quality, web-friendly resume. The first step in any job search (online or not) should be to polish and update your resume. Once you've done that, you're ready to create profiles on the employment sites you've identified as good candidates. Make sure your resume is accurate and error-free. Some sites will allow you to upload a Word or RTF file, while others make you type your information directly into the site. Be sure to keep your resume simple, as formatting can go awry. Create a PDF of your resume for any applications you need to email.
2. Create a job-search-specific email account. Many employers see an email address and immediately move on, so either create an address with your Internet provider or use a free service. Choose an email address that is a variation of your name, if possible. If your name is common, you have have to play around a bit to find a combination that is not taken. Keep it simple. You don't want the only thing an employer remembers about your profile to be the fact that your email address is TechGod69@email.com or BeerBonger@myemail.com.
3. Choose the right employment site. Job-search sites abound on the Internet, and it can be confusing trying to figure out which to use. Most employment experts agree that you should have profiles on multiple sites in order to increase your chances of finding the right job. Aggregators, which collect information from a variety of employment sites, also give you considerable bang for your online job-search buck. 
4. Get more specific. Check out sites that are specific to your industry or field. If you're looking for a job that pays $100,000+, sites that target high-level jobs may be a good choice. Consider looking at regional sites as well -- either for the area you're in or for areas you'd be willing to relocate to.
5. Create a professional profile. Creating a detailed profile maximizes your chances of making a good job connection. List your skills completely. Doing a self-audit of your skills can be a good idea as you craft this portion of your profile. List specific skills and job experience that you feel sets you apart. Avoid the temptation to embellish;  prospective employers can and do verify your information.
6. Set up a job agent. If an employment site offers this feature, set up a job agent (otherwise called a search agent). This allows the site to notify you if jobs matching your criteria are listed.
7. Clear up your digital footprints. Prospective employers are going to do an internet search for you. You want to lock down all social networking profiles, blogs, and anything else you do on the Internet that you might not want a hiring manager to see. If you're not sure what you should lock down, do a search of your name (or your name plus your city) and see what comes up. Remember, nothing dies on the Internet!
8. Search broadly. Check the web sites for companies or organizations you'd like to work for. Their internal job boards often have postings that don't make it to the larger employment sites. Check back often.
9. Keep your profile fresh. Keep your profile at the top of employer's searches by logging on once a week and making some small change to your resume -- even adding and deleting a comma will bump it up to "recently updated."
10. Choose the right keywords. Keywords are, well, key to an online job search. Take a look at the job descriptions of jobs in your field and look for commonly used words or phrases. This will help you refine your searches on other sites.