I want to use the web for my job search, but I don’t know which sites are the best for me? I seem to be spending a lot of time but coming up with few actual jobs. Then I don’t seem to get any replies from the job listings I answer. I need to find a job and I’m worried that I’m just wasting a lot of time.

Signed:
Worried About Work

Actually you’ve just hit upon one of the major flaws of the web: the enormous volume of information with little ability to hone in on exactly what you want and to get a quick response. In other words, if you’re lucky enough to go to the right sites and find good job listings for you, are you just throwing your resume into a bottomless pit? How can you be sure you’ll be found, called and interviews? Here are a few tips:

There are also several other sites to check out that also consolidate classified job listings. Try www.careercast.com, www.careerpath.com, and www.vjf.com, and don’t forget CareerMosaic, and headhunter.net. There’s also The Monster Board and OCC, among the majors. Needless to say, you’ll be on the web for a long time with just these few sites and if you decide to post your resume, you’ll be on the web even longer. (Remember, only the "vjf" site tells you how many times your resume has been viewed since you posted it up.)

Last, but not least, two important clues: Always ask your friends and colleagues for their favorite job listing web sites. If they’re in a similar discipline, they’ll know what sites you should be searching and finally, if you don’t buy any other reference for web searching, do buy "CareerXroads" by Gerry Crispin and Mark Mehler. It has an index at the back of the book that will steer you in the right direction for specific job listings for you and is just a super guide to orienting your search. Crispin and Mehler also offer bi-monthly updates on the web at www.careerxroads.com. (To our delight, CareerBabe is included as one of CareerXroads 500 best career sites for 1999.)

Best of Luck,