You've heard about it on the news, read it in the morning
newspaper. People are looking for jobs and the majority of them
are turning to the Internet to find them.
I did a search on Google for "job sites." My search returned the
top ten of "about 2,690,000." That tells me that thousands of
people have realized the potential to capitalize on helping
individuals find employment via the Internet. You're thinking,
"Cool. Finding a job on the Internet should be a snap." Well,
maybe. There a few things you should know before clicking on one
of those 2,690,000 possibilities to find a job.
Sharing of Information
Many of the job boards share a common database of information.
Working collectively, each individual web site contributes to the
database by attracting resume and job posters. In a combined
effort, they all benefit from having generated a mass amount of
searchable information they can display on their individual
sites. The average person does not realize that resume banks and
job postings are recycled to possibly several hundred job
sites that share in a database. Keep in mind, these sites can
range from local and niche job boards to medium and large size
companies. "OK," you say. "So, what's the big deal?"
Your Privacy
Do your research. The resume you post on one job site may
end up being circulated to several other job boards, all over the
Web. Secondly, search engines have what are called "spiders."
Spiders scour the Internet gathering data that is made available
when someone performs a query on a search engine.
Newsgroups and personal web pages are a few of the additional
places spiders frequent. The majority of people don't realize
that their personal information such as a home address, phone
number, e-mail, work history and other personal details are now
available to vast numbers of strangers.
What to Research
Posting your resume on the Internet is no different than
reviewing the latest edition of Consumer Reports® before
purchasing your next computer. Knowledgeable consumers make
educated decisions. Before posting your resume on any job site,
it is important to review the online Privacy Policy posted on
each web site and educate yourself in the practices of their
site. Do they sell or share the information they collect about
their visitors with third parties? Is their database password
protected or available to the general public? Who is allowed
access to their database? Do they participate in co-branded sites
that share a database? Do you have the option to edit your resume
once it is posted? Delete it? Choose only select information to
be viewable?
You should immediately see red flags if a job site does not have
a posted Privacy Policy for you to review - use caution when
utilizing their services. The Web is an unparalleled resource to
gain employment. The key to successfully locating your next
venture is to educate yourself and use it wisely. Happy Hunting!
About the Author
Karrie Langmeier is the founder of Do A Project.com, an online
referral service for contract-based IT employment. Her company
specializes in connecting freelancers and firms with outsourced
project needs. Contact her at karrie@doaproject.com or visit her
web site at http://doaproject.com to post your contract projects
and positions for FREE.