Job Board Tips
An Article by TorontoJobs.ca

The recruitment industry has evolved over the last 10 years similar to the changes in banking and real estate. Similar to being able to do on-line banking and shopping for a new home on the internet, job boards have facilitated employers in finding new staff at a lower cost and for job seekers to search and apply to positions quickly and efficiently.

Great strides have been made in the job board industry and this article will outline some tips and thoughts on how job boards can help you in your job/career search.

(Note: For purposes of this article, Job Boards are loosely defined as websites where candidates can search and apply to positions and employers can advertise their positions).

Overview

Job boards facilitate both employers and job seekers. There are several out there that specialize by industry, geography, position, etc.

From a geographical perspective, it makes a lot of sense to use www.TorontoJobs.ca for positions in the Greater Toronto Area since this relates specifically to our city. In addition, you can expand your search by exploring different specialized job boards that may help in your search.

Applying to Positions

One of the biggest complaints clients say to us is that they receive applications from candidates who are just not qualified for the position posted.

Comments such as “Do these people read the job description?” or “These candidates don’t even have the minimum qualifications required” are not uncommon.

Be sure to use your better judgment before applying to a position or, if your skills are lacking, explain in a covering letter the reason(s) that you’re still applying.

Posting your resume

When posting your resume, make sure that you include all relevant information and make sure that your resume contains keywords/phrases that an employer is likely to search on. This will make you easier to be found by recruiters/employers.

Added Research

Job boards have vastly improved over the years by providing not only positions to apply to and the ability to post your resume, but also allowing users to look at salary surveys, find out about Career Counselors, getting information on what relevant career books are available and getting tips on interviewing and resume writing.

This will allow a job seeker to make the maximum use of job boards.

Supply vs. Demand

The fewer the number of people that have the experience that you have, the more likely you are to get a favourable response from an application you make. The reverse holds true also.

Use that knowledge to your favour by applying to positions that you know you have the unique skills for (e.g. industry, skill, etc.). You are more likely to get called for an interview.

Recruiting Firms

Job boards are a great way of finding recruiting firms that specialize in your area of expertise. You can be sure that recruiting firms that spend dollars on advertising on a job board that you have expertise in will generally recruit for those types of positions.

Dates of Job Postings

It may be advantageous to you to apply to a position that may have an older date for the posting as there are many reasons why a position may still be open (e.g. an employer hasn’t seen the right candidate yet, the position has been put on hold, a candidate identified has decided to not accept an offer, etc.). If you think you are qualified for a position, make sure to apply even if the date looks old.

Keep in mind though, also, that sometimes employers don’t take off a job posting even though they have filled their position.

Applying multiple times

You generally lose points with an employer if you apply to the same position multiple times. Apply once and if you’re concerned that they may not have received your resume/application follow-up with a phone call.

Job Alerts/JobMail

Signing up for Job Alerts/JobMail will allow you to receive notifications of positions that are posted without having to check back on the job board regularly. This is a very efficient way of staying in touch with opportunities that are out there without having to go back to the website on an on-going basis. This is a great tool for both passive (people not seriously looking for a position) and active (people who are looking for a new position more diligently) candidates.

Be Professional

Make sure your resume contains no spelling or grammatical errors. This is your first (and sometimes only) impression you make and may make the difference between getting called for an interview and not.

Keep your resume up-to-date

This is especially true when your work or educational experience has changed or if you haven’t visited the job board for a while. Keeping an up-to-date resume is also good for recruiters who are searching resume databases for candidates.

CONCLUSION:

Job boards have dramatically helped companies reduce their hiring costs and increased the speed and efficiency of the recruitment industry. Job boards are continually improving with more and more features helping both employers and jobseekers find each other.

Using some of the simple tips noted above will help you in your job search.

More Career Articles