Online Job Hunting to Beat the Recession
Online job sites are becoming the main method for recruitment. This, combined with the recession, has left job seekers with a lot of work to do. Not only do they have to post their resumes online to find jobs, they also need to join networking sites to work on their personal brands.
More and more employers are checking up on prospective employees online and if a job seeker is not tuned into the social media buzz, or her reputation online is tainted, she may lose her opportunities to have the perfect career. There are a few simple steps you can follow to make sure you recession-proof yourself to get the right job online.
1. Look for jobs online that aren’t suffering under the recession
Healthcare, education, security and energy and even IT– these are sectors which will always have to be kept alive, recession or no recession. If you’re looking to change your career direction, go for those hardy sectors that always need people. Many people seem to be thinking in the same vein, as University enrollment at the beginning of 2009 in the UK was up 8% from last year.
2. Be seen
It’s advisable that you belong to various online job sites and follow-up on jobs regularly. Pay attention to your online resume; if you’re not sure how to sell yourself, download a template CV to ensure that you’re doing it correctly. Networking has become all the more important in the recession. Networking opens up many business and career opportunities. Fortunately, networking can largely be done online, thanks to social media. So, all you need to do is make sure you’re visible online. More importantly, when you get responses from online recruiters be on the ball and respond immediately before the opportunity goes to a more eager job seeker.
3. Look at viable alternatives and stopgaps
All of us have the potential to be budding businessmen and women. All it takes is a little imagination. If you’re not finding a good job as a librarian, for example, maybe it’s time to use one of your hobbies to start generating extra income online. Perhaps you make earrings for your friends and family, which you can start selling online in a part-time capacity until you find a well-paid job. Freelancing is also an excellent way to make some income until you find a fulltime job; freelancing work can also be managed to a large extent online. This will also help to fill-up gaps on your CV which could put off a recruiter.
Many of us start biting our nails in fear and anxiety when we hear ‘doom and gloom’ phrases such as ‘lay-offs’, ‘pay-cuts’ and watch as our friends take on second jobs to meet their mortgage repayments. But the important thing to remember is not to give in to the negativity. Stay positive, keep your resume out there, and be smart about your online job hunt and you’ll get yourself hired in no time.
