I is for...Internet

“They say a year in the Internet business is like a dog year… equivalent to seven years in a regular person's life. In other words, it's evolving fast and faster”

How would we cope if we didn’t have access to the Internet when seeking new job opportunities?

Well it wasn’t too long ago when I remember sending out dozens of handwritten letters attached with a hard copy of my CV. I met with a number of recruitment agencies and scanned through FREE weekly magazines that were distributed at the central train stations in London. There was Girl About Town, 9 to 5 and Midweek Magazine packed from front to back with job opportunities. I might be showing my age however it just goes to show how quickly times and methods of seeking new job opportunities have changed.

The internet has pages and pages of information to assist the Job Hunter, just by doing a Google search on the words ‘Interview’ brings up 361,000,000 results and ‘CV’ brings up 139,000,000 results!

Perhaps too much information at once but I feel it’s important to acknowledge that the internet provides information at your fingertips without having to leave the house or office.

Below I have outlined 5 ways in which by using the internet can benefit the Job Seeker:

1) Google - Using Google in your job search can be very beneficial whilst preparing for an interview. You can find out company information, directions to the offices, even search for the interviewers that you will be meeting. Many employers are now using Google to find out information on the person they will be interviewing so please ensure you remove anything that might change their views about you!

Top Tip
Did you know that you can set up FREE Google Alerts http://www.google.com/alerts so that when an announcement has been made about the company you are interviewing, you will receive an email informing you.

2) LinkedIn - With 80% of roles being filled via LinkedIn in the US it’s not if but when it happens in the UK. Many search firms in London are already using LinkedIn as their main source for finding suitable candidates so it’s important that you complete your profile to ensure that you can be found.

Top Tip
Before attending an interview search for your interviewer on LinkedIn in order to find out about the companies they have previously worked. Be careful not to make assumptions and I wouldn’t suggest you make contact at this stage!

3) Blogs – Creating a blog is simple and should a potential employer want to find out more about you on the internet what better way to make a good impression if they found your Blog. Make it interesting and perhaps write short articles on your industry knowledge and expertise, it’s sure to impress.

Top Tip
When looking to create a Blog use http://www.wordpress.com/ or http://www.blogger.com/

4) Job Sites – So, in my day it meant scanning through the FREE magazines now the internet has made job hunting so much easier with the invention of Job Sites. Both Recruitment Agencies and Employers use these sites to advertise their vacancies and you can often submit an application online. It’s fast and simple to use however make sure you are productive in your search and apply for roles that are suitable for your experience.

Top Tip
When sending an application via a job site then take the time to tailor your CV to the job specification. It’s better to send quality than quantity!
http://www.cityjobs.com/
http://www.efinancialcareers.co.uk/

5) Company Sites – Go directly to each employer's Website and browse their current job vacancies. Since the recession many companies are now looking at ways to cut their recruitment costs and advertising roles directly on their own websites is one of the ways to do this.

Top Tip
The following website allows you to upload your details and companies can then contact you direct, recruitment agencies and search firms are not allowed to have access to this service
http://careers.hereisthecity.com/directconnect.cntns


Nikki Hutchison, founder of Chilli Pepper Global http://www.chillipepperglobal.com/ advising you on every aspect of the job seeking process guiding you step by step whether you are looking to move internally or externally.