Applying at Internet Job Boards and Company Websites

There are benefits to monitoring both Internet job boards and individual company websites throughout a job search. Internet job boards generate lists of open positions across many companies and provide easy access to online applications for those jobs. Company websites are more targeted and often provide links like “Careers” or “Employment Opportunities” to list open positions at the company and to allow individuals to apply for those positions.

Job Boards: You can visit any number of online job boards to assist in generating lists of open positions that meet specific category/location criteria. To find online job boards, simply type “job boards” or “top 10 job boards” into an Internet search engine like Google or Yahoo. Or, go directly to the “Find Jobs” tab in Career Transitions to access a comprehensive list of job postings. After selecting a particular job board, specify your job category (or keyword) and location criteria to see a list of job openings. When you select a particular job on the list, you’ll have the opportunity to click an Apply button, which leads to an online job application. Some job boards link you directly to the application on the company website, but more often than not, the application you fill in is job-board specific and then forwarded to the employer by the job board company. Many job boards also offer the convenient service of alerting you when new jobs that meet your criteria become available. Be sure to take advantage of this service.

Company Websites: If you’ve targeted specific companies as being a perfect fit in your new career or job search, it’s a good idea to go directly to those company websites to apply for work, instead of going through the job boards. After all, if a company is able to find suitable candidates from a smaller pool of applicants who apply directly on the company website, that company is less apt to post the job(s) on a job board and risk the deluge of applications that can frequently result from one job board posting.

In addition to accepting job applications, most job boards and some company websites provide an area where you can upload an electronic version of your resume. The uploaded resume typically serves as an adjunct to the online job application; it’s not a replacement for the job application. Many companies require a completed application, so skipping this step could keep you out of the running for an open position.