Even as recently as 15 years ago, finding a job was a tough task physically. You had to get out and about, pounding the streets to hand out resumes, finding out where might have an opening and meeting prospective employees.
The internet has changed all that. It’s made the task of job seeking so much simpler by allowing you to do all the hard work from the comfort of your own home. Instead of hitting the pavement, we can now just hit the net, apply to far more companies in a shorter space of time and as a result, increase your chances of successfully finding a job.
Here are five ways the internet can help you find a job
Look at adverts placed on Jobs Listings websites
The internet can put thousands of suitable job advertisements at your fingertips within seconds. Simply log onto one of America’s Top 10 Best Job Websites, enter your search criteria and away you go. If you are willing to relocate then you can search for jobs on a national basis on one of the bigger sites while there are also specialized, local ones relevant to a particular town or state.
Get your resume out there
Actively searching for an employer is one way to get yourself a job, but you might already possess the skills and experience that a business is looking for. You can get yourself found by placing your resume on a site such as LinkedIn, which now connects over half a billion people and companies.
Use social media to search for relevant jobs
LinkedIn is obviously the big social media site when it comes to employment, but Facebook can be equally useful. Many companies will post job adverts on their Facebook pages with details on how to apply and a quick browse through the company’s profile will help give you an indication of whether it is a business that you feel you could work for.
Find training schools to improve your job skills
Perhaps you don’t actually have the skills required yet to get into the career you’re dreaming of. The internet can help with that though as well. Say you’ve decided that because of the demand for heating, ventilation and air conditioning engineers as climate change turns our weather more and more extreme, HVAC is a career that you want to get into as its going to guarantee you a steady paycheque over the next 20 years. All you have to do is find a website listing school that can teach you the skills.
Research pay
You might have no idea what field you want to enter, in which case you’ll need inspiration. Why not get that by researching what the average salary in a range of jobs that you might be interested in is? There are plenty of websites out there that list some salary information based on a profession which can help you make an informed decision about which industry to target. Money isn’t everything of course and you’d still need to make sure it was a sector you have at least a passing interest in, but it can help put you on the road to finding a job.
Harris is a leading blog writer and content marketing professional with thousands of real Instagram followers for his postings.