Chapter 2 — Part

The Internet job search explosion

 Offline resources for the online job search  

To make room for the 2,002 job resources described in the Government Job Finder, I had to make this chapter only a crash course on how to use the Internet. If you want to learn more about using the Internet in your job search, here some resources that do a great job of teaching newcomers how to use the Internet and all its components in their job quest. Because these books are often hard to find in bookstores, they are included in Planning/Communications’ catalog at the end of this book.

How to Get Your Dream Job Using the Web (Coriolis Group Books; $34.99, 400 pages, 1997, out of print). This book is the perfect supplement to the Government Job Finder for anyone who wants to conduct a full–fledged online job search. Probably the single best book that focuses strictly on the electronic job search, this new edition offers a great introduction to using the Internet that is actually understandable to people who have a life. It even helps you intelligently choose an Internet provider (included is an extensive directory of providers). In addition to offering an abundance of Internet job resources, it also presents details on job bulletin board services and how to use them. The authors Shannon Bounds Karl and Arthur Karl show the computer illiterate how to create an effective electronic resume, successfully network on the Internet, and create your own home page to market yourself to employers. The free CD–ROM that comes with the book overflows with incredible resources including direct links to Internet sites, job hunting software, shareware and free programs you can use to create your own home page, and software for handling email.

The Guide to Internet Job Searching (VGM Career Horizons; available from our online catalog on this site) $14.95, 213 pages, 2002. This is the widely–hailed basic guide written by Steve Osserman, Margaret Riley, and Frances Roehm. It includes a good explanation of how to connect to the Internet and instructions for posting a resume electronically, as well as extensive listings of Internet sites with job ads and resume databases. It also offers a thorough directory of bulletin board services that offer job listings and a useful chapter on online career development sites.

Electronic Job Search Revolution (John Wiley & Sons) $12.95, 183 pages, 1995. Joyce Lain Kennedy and Thomas Morrow provide the “intellectual” framework for online job market and application process. This book is particularly useful for learning the underpinnings of online resume and job databases plus online interviewing. It differs from all the others by really explaining how employers use these online tools to make hiring decisions. It includes a good glossary of terms used in the electronic job search world. Although it introduces you to relatively few online resources, it does a great job of explaining how to effectively use the different online job search resources.

Hook Up, Get Hired! (John Wiley & Sons) $12.95, 250 pages, 1995. Joyce Lain Kennedy moves beyond her Electronic Job Search Revolution book to offer more hands on, practical advice for using the Internet in your job search. Filled with information on specific Web sites, newsgroups, and bulletin board services, this book covers the online job search gamut and is right on target for job seekers who don’t want to read a 400 page book.

Electronic online resumes. The electronic resume you submit online or mail in for scanning should be quite different than your printed resume. You suddenly have to switch from using certain verbs to nouns to convey your qualifications — “keywords” are what count. You no longer use bold face and snazzy designs to attract attention — only the words matter when your resume turns electronic. Two books offer valuable advice and practical examples of how to make this transition to the electronic resume.

Electronic Resumes (McGraw Hill; ) $19.95, 255 pages plus 3.5–inch Windows™ disk, 1996. Going beyond any other book about online resumes, authors James and Wayne Gonyea walk you through the steps of converting your print resume to electronic format and how to distribute it to resume banks and how to submit directly to employers who are advertising vacancies online. In addition, they explain in considerable detail how to use the free software that comes with the book to create an online multimedia resume complete with graphics and sound. Over 100 pages of sample electronic resumes and cover letters are included.

Electronic Resume Revolution (John Wiley & Sons) $12.95, 228 pages, 1995. Kennedy and Morrow team up again to present everything you need to know about preparing an electronic resume and how to use it effectively. It includes 30 sample resumes transformed into electronic vitae.

Continue with Section 5 from the list below.

This chapter of the Government Job Finder is divided into five parts. You can go any of the parts of this chapter that precede or follow this section by selecting from the list below.

Introduction to the Chapter

The Players in the Online Job Search: Learn all a job seeker actually needs to know to get her online job search started. Get the scoop on the World Wide Web, email, search engines, gopher servers, usenet newsgroups, mailing lists, ftp file transfers, and bulletin board services.

Growing Pains Online: Learn about all the weaknesses of the Internet job hunt that nobody wants to talk about! The Internet is a great place to find jobs for some professions, and pretty weak for others. Some job databases waste your time by listing jobs that have already been filled. Discover how to use resume databases safely so your current employer doesn’t find out you’re looking for a new job.

You’re in Part 4 now. Be sure to go to Part 5 next. Click on the number 4 to the left to return to the top of this page.

Great Sites to Launch Your Online Job Search: These are the “gateway” sites, many of which are collections of links to an enormous number of online job databases, resume databases, directories of companies, lists of job hotlines for governments and companies, and sites that offer job hunting advice. You'll be linked directly to these sites and can visit any of them from Job Finders Online.