A Web staple, job boards are used by millions on a daily basis to search and apply for employment positions. This seems ideal since most job openings are posted online in lieu of paper ads. Although this may seem like the right course of action, the callbacks may be few an far between for many. Brazen Careerist details why restricting your search to job boards is a bad idea:
You forfeit your networking power. If someone had told me that finding a paying, full-time job was 90 percent networking and 10 percent resume, I would have shaken their hand–and then owed them an expensive dinner.
The problem is, we focus instead on our resume, cover letter, GPA and experience.
The online job site, your supposed friend, makes it easy to submit all this info with a couple of clicks and, heck, you feel productive doing it.
But once you hit “submit,â€Â you instantly join thousands of candidates who appear exactly like you, if not better.
Seriously, put yourself in the recruiter’s shoes. What stands out from one guy to the next? On paper, virtually nothing. Your school name might pop out and get you an interview, but that’s about it.
Instead of submitting 10 online job apps a day, try one internship, externship or cup of coffee with an acquaintance in your field. This active approach worked well before the Internet even existed, and even Forbes agrees that personal recommendations are the number one source of new hires.
Read more at Brazen Careerist …