Remember when you had to spend hours going over the fine print of the classifieds in the local paper, looking for a job? And when you do, it’s more often a miss than a hit, since it may not turn out to be fit for you. Then you have to go back – using another newspaper this time around – to repeat the cycle all over again.
Or maybe you ignored the classified ads in the paper and headed directly to an employment agency, submitted your documents, and waited. And waited. And ended up waiting for a very long time before you got a call for a possible job placement.
These long and tedious processes have been a major part of the reasons why many people dread looking into the job market. It takes a lot of time and effort, and there are a lot of uncertainties at play. Thanks to technology, however, much of these processes have been shortened and simplified, and the chances of jobseekers to land a paying job that fits their qualifications – and that they actually like and enjoy – have considerably increased.
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In this article, you will read and learn about 1) the advantages of using online job classifieds and 2) the world’s largest job classifieds websites.
ADVANTAGES OF USING AN ONLINE JOB CLASSIFIEDS
We can look at these advantages from two perspectives: that of a jobseeker and an employer.
Advantages to Jobseekers
Jobseekers can browse and apply for jobs from the comfort and convenience of their own homes. It certainly saves a lot of time hitting the pavement and going from company to company, or poring over piles of dailies and newspapers. Just by logging into a job classifieds site and doing a search with specific parameters, you can immediately get a list of jobs you are qualified for.
You get to have more options, more choices, from different places. This is especially advantageous to those who are willing to relocate to another state or city for a job. Since online job marketplaces have a larger geographical coverage, they can look for jobs even in other places.
It will cost you less to look for a job online than to travel to various places where potential employment is, just to submit your application and CV. Printing the various documents required also takes money, but when done online, they can be transmitted electronically, so there is no need to reproduce your documents, and spend money on them.
Advantages to Employers
Online recruitment has a streamlining effect to a company’s business operations, because the job classifieds website will provide the technologies and software that will be sued to screen and assess applicants, in accordance with the employer’s specifications and needs.
Hiring and recruitment costs can be quite high for employers, and online job classifieds can lower these costs significantly. You do not have to spend as much money on personnel to do the screening, and there is also the lowered cost of storage of data, since records from the hiring and recruitment process are filed electronically.
The process is considerably sped up. One of the disadvantages of doing the entire screening and recruitment process yourself is that it takes a lot of time. You also have to meet with the applicants for interviews. Most online job marketplaces now have tools that allow interviews done online or electronically, which certainly saves a lot of time.
Since online job classifieds have a far wider and more expansive reach, employers will have a much larger pool of applicants or talents to choose from. There is a higher probability of finding candidates with the skills that the employers are specifically looking for.
THE WORLD’S LARGEST JOB CLASSIFIEDS
Once you have decided to try your luck at finding a job through online sources, the next issue would be deciding on which online job marketplace to look into. Discussed below are your best options.
Indeed (www.indeed.com)
When it comes to employment-related search engines and job listings posted online, one of the most recognizable names is Indeed. It is one of the job search engines that commands high numbers in terms of traffic. While its main offices are based in Austin, Texas, its operations have been localized in 28 languages and in 50 countries all over the world.
Key features:
Simplified job search facility. Since Indeed makes use of a vertical search mechanism, it is simple and straightforward, as it focuses mainly on a specific segment: jobs. Therefore, it offers higher levels of precisions in the job search results. When doing a job search, all that is needed is a job title or keywords, as well as a company name, if you have something in mind. Jobseekers can also specify the city, state, or zip code where they want to look for a job.
Wide search. Indeed aggregates listings of jobs from thousands of other sources, such as job sites, job boards, career organizations, and staffing and employment firms. This means that jobseekers can count on getting a lot of options just from doing a single search. It also means that Indeed is able to provide listings that involve a wide range of jobs across industries and fields. Currently, Indeed boasts having more than 16 million jobs listed on its site.
Storage services. Jobseekers can even upload their resume and have it stored on the site, with the option to update it from time to time, or as needed. This also enables employers to find them through their resumes, so there is a chance of talented candidates to get contacted by potential employers without them even having to actively apply for the job.
Relevant information. Indeed also provides useful information related to employment, such as industry and job market trends, salary searches, and job competition indices.
Monster (www.monster.com)
Whenever you look at rankings and lists of employment and job sites in the United States and in the world, there is no doubt that Monster will be among those at the top. Its operation currently spans 36 countries worldwide, with more than 4000 employees in its payroll. When it was founded in 1999, it was initially a small operation called The Monster Board. It only became Monter.com in 1999 when it merged with TMP Worldwide’s Online Career Center. Subsequent acquisitions include JOBTRAK, the Jobs.com URL and trademark, Affinity Labs, and the semantic job search engine Trovix. It was also able to strike up a traffic-sharing agreement with Yahoo!
Here are the reasons why Monster.com is ranked among the best choices in the industry.
Ease of use. Employers can post listings of vacancies within minutes, and the site system will do the work in attracting targeted, local traffic to the employers’ postings. Jobseekers can easily post their resume online and have it stored there, for easy access by potential employers and recruiters. This job classifieds also made it easy to generate salary reports and resumes. The user interface, by itself, is very easy to navigate, since it can be customized depending on who the user is and his purpose for logging into Monster.com.
Vast reach. Monster.com claims to be able to reach more than 17 million candidates with various qualifications for different types of jobs. This is a promising figure for employers and recruiters, who would like to be able to get the best people for the job.
Helpful tools for employers and jobseekers. The site offers topnotch support to its main users – employers, recruiters and jobseekers – by providing them with the tools that they need to fill positions with the right candidates, and to find jobs that they are qualified for, respectively. They are also given the capability to create screening and evaluation questions and filter the responses they receive, and all these are done online. In addition, Monster.com also provides valuable advice and tips related to applying for a job. It also has a forum where users can communicate with each other and share their experiences in the job market.
Superior search technology. Employers will have an easier time searching through hundreds and even thousands of potential candidates, thanks to Monster.com’s semantic search technology, which is called 6Sense. They are able to compare candidates side by side, prioritize and rank them, and get helpful input when making hiring decisions. Jobseekers, on the other hand, will find the search results to be easily filtered, depending on various parameters, such as keywords, location, job type or category, and even the job requirements or qualifications.
CareerBuilder (www.careerbuilder.com)
More than just a job search engine, CareerBuilder also serves as a provider of various recruitment solutions and labor market intelligence. It also operates worldwide, active in more than 60 markets all over the world. In addition, it also operates niche job search sites, such as CareerRookie.com, Headhunter.com, JobsInMotion.com, MiracleWorkers.com, Sologig.com, and WorkinRetail.com.
Both employers and jobseekers will find many features of CareerBuilder to be truly useful.
Facilitated job posting. Employers who post a job on CareerBuilder can take advantage of the feature Smart Job, which evaluates the job posting and systematically finds resumes posted on the site that are a great match with the posting. Employers can also make use of the free screening questions provided to move things along.
Outstanding search function. Resume searching is only one of the great features of the site’s Search facility. Just by picking criteria or parameters provided, your list will be narrowed down, speeding up the screening and selection process. Jobseekers can come up with search results just by using keywords, location, posting date, job category, the status of the job, and the experience required.
Job alerts. Jobseekers have the option to avail of the job alerts feature, which notifies them via email if there is a job that fits their qualifications.
Creation of professional resumes. Instead of a template that you just have to fill in, you will actually be teamed up with certified resume writers who will make sure you will come up with a resume that is factual and guaranteed to attract employers and recruiters.
GlassDoor (www.glassdoor.com)
The strength of GlassDoor lies in its review-based operation. This comes as no surprise, since it started out as a website where companies and their management are reviewed by current and former employees anonymously. Of course, it has eventually turned itself into one of the fastest growing jobs and recruiting sites in the world today.
So what makes GlassDoor a very good job classifieds?
Credible sources. All the information provided on the site – from the company reviews and approval ratings to the salary reports and screening process reviews – are shared and provided by the employees. They are considered to be in the best position to give these reviews and information since they are the ones experiencing them firsthand.
Helpful preparatory tools. Employees also share on Glassdoor some actual interview questions that they have encountered in their various job-hunting experiences. Jobseekers, especially those who are looking for their first jobs, will find the interview questions, reviews, and tips to be very helpful in preparing them for their turn to be interviewed for a job.
Glassdoor for Employers feature. This is an effective recruiting and employer branding tool or solution that employers will find helpful in promoting their employer brand, putting them on top of the priority lists of talents and jobseekers.
SimplyHired (www.simplyhired.com)
The large database or pool of jobs of SimplyHired is made possible by its aggregation of job listings from thousands of websites and sources on the internet. Right now, it has localized job search engines in 24 countries all over the world – an impressive feat, considering it was just launched in 2008.
Here are some of the features that make SimplyHired a favorite among jobseekers and employers.
Large job pool. SimplyHired boasts one of the largest job pools, and that is because of the many sources that it derives its listings from. It also aggregates jobs from social media, which is undoubtedly one of the most active places on the Web today.
Premium placement option. Employers who are especially in a rush to fill a job vacancy are willing to pay extra in order to speed up the process. SimplyHired utilizes a pay-per-click model that allows employers’ listings to have premium placement and, in the process, get more attention from potential talents.
Mobile technology. SimplyHired utilized mobile technology very well and it is also one of the reasons why it is stepping ahead of the competition. It introduced Simply Apply, a feature that allows jobseekers to apply for a job with just a single click on their mobile devices. This is certainly very convenient, as more and more users opt to use mobile devices in their online transactions. SimplyHired also made sure to make its apps available in both iOS and Android devices.
ZipRecruiter (www.ziprecruiter.com)
ZipRecruiter is still relatively new, having started its operations only in 2010, but it is already creating a name as one of the premier online job board services. Listings and applications from job boards are gathered in its simple and easy-to-use website, ready for browsing by employers, recruiters and employment agencies.
Some of its notable features include:
Free for jobseekers. While it is true that employers, recruiters and staffing and employment firms have to pay a certain subscription fee, jobseekers do not have to pay anything in order to search for a job and apply for one on ZipRecruiter.
One-time submission to multiple job boards. ZipRecruiter lets employers make job postings to more than 100 job boards with just a single submission. These include the largest job search engines such as Monster, SimplyHired, GlassDoor, TopUSAJobs, and more.
New Hire Onboarding feature. This is another support feature for the benefit of employers. It includes automation and customization of forms and HR documents, and even the conduct of background checks on new hires.
Record retention. ZipRecruiter allows employers and recruiters to retain records of their job postings, advertisements and even the candidates that responded to the postings.
Beyond (www.beyond.com)
Beyond calls itself the “The Career Network”, aimed at helping professionals find jobs and, once they do, to further advance their careers. It also helps recruiters and employers find top talent for their companies.
Here are some of the best points about Beyond.
Preparation of creative yet professional resumes. There is a fine line between a plain and dull-looking resume and an outlandish one that cannot be taken seriously by recruiters and employers. Beyond straddles that line successfully by allowing jobseekers to come up with a resume presented in infographic form, presenting the key points about your qualifications as a candidate: your skills, work history and experience, accomplishments, awards and recognitions.
Wide reach in professional communities. Joining Beyond means you can have access to hundreds of interactive talent and career communities. Here, you will meet other jobseekers, professionals and experts who will share their experiences and know-how on anything career-related. They are also good places to start networking.
Personality assessment tool. More often than not, jobseekers do not really know what niche or industry they fit in. Beyond has a free personality assessment tool to help you in figuring out what is the perfect line of work for you, as indicated in the resulting Candidate Personality Assessment and Career Mapping Analysis Report.
Depending on your preferences, qualifications, and the resources you have at hand, there is no doubt that you will find exactly the type of service that you are looking for in the job classifieds mentioned above. Good luck finding that dream job, and for employers, good luck in finding your perfect employee!
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