JUNE - JULY 2001  

Online Placement Resources: 
Different Strokes for Different Folks

by George W. Zobrist

Just as electronic resumes seem to be here to stay (see "E-Resumes: Make Your Online Credentials Really Stand Out" in this issue), so is the Internet itself. From posting resumes to browsing company sites, looking for job fairs, and using job placement sites, the Internet is a powerful job search tool that serves all who use it well.

Start With IEEE

Perhaps one of the most valuable online placement services for technical professionals is IEEE's members-only e-Recruiter™ service (www.ieee.org/jobs). Sponsored by IEEE-USA and IEEE Spectrum and powered by Hire.com, e-Recruiter connects technical job seekers with prospective employers.

IEEE members worldwide can now create a personal, confidential profile that includes desired salary, job location and discipline. Likewise, prospective employers post their opportunities. The service then searches member profiles, identifies matches, and notifies prospects by e-mail.

e-Recruiter also lets members browse or search job postings at their convenience. These postings can be reviewed by company, job category or expertise. What's more, members can remain anonymous until they choose to do otherwise.

Other Online Sources

While IEEE's e-Recruiter service may be all you need, a host of other online sources exist. You can find them by accessing your favorite search engine (Yahoo, Lycos, or Excite, to name a few) and entering appropriate keywords: job placement, resume services, job fairs, or specific company names. Among the results of your search, some sites will be members-only services (as IEEE's is), others will be free and open to the public, and still others will charge a fee for services. You can decide which ones will meet your needs best.

You would be well-served by contacting the university you attended as well; most provide a resume service and even job placement help for their alumni. Universities generally provide this service at no cost, and many have begun serving students and alumni online.

If you plan to post your resume with an online service, be sure to post it as either a Microsoft Word file or an ASCII file (or both). Also, find out whether the site you are considering has a local, regional, national or international focus. Your posting will become available to numerous recruiters, and you want to be sure you target those most appropriate to your job search goals.

Hot Job Sites to Get You Going

Here is a list of some of the more popular online placement sites. This list is by no means exhaustive; you will likely be able to add to this list quickly as you find others that work well for you.

• As an IEEE member, you can start your online search easily at IEEE's e-Recruiter site, at www.ieee.org/jobs.

Sites for Posting Resumes

• www.careers.yahoo.com — This site has a job search, a resume-posting facility, related feature articles, information about starting a business, and relocation resources.

• www.headhunter.com — Allows you to post your resume without a user name or password, and offers some resume service help.

• www.jobbankusa.com — This free service provides employment and resume services to job seekers, employers and recruiting companies.

• www.monster.com — One of the larger sites to scan for job opportunities and to post a resume. One unique aspect of this site is that there is a live auction for your services; you can post information about yourself and your salary and location requirements and then wait for bids from recruiters.

• www.dice.com — This site claims to be the leading online Information Technology job board with permanent, contract and consulting jobs listed. It has an online resume service, a regional job search feature for various metro areas, and a free e-mail career newsletter.

• www.resumeblaster.com/IR200 — This fee-based site will send your resume to as many as 2,400 recruiters. It probably is a useful service if you are "testing the waters."

• www.careermag.com — Allows you to post your resume free for up to six months, but you need a user ID and a password. It lists various job fairs and offers an online version of Career Magazine.

Job Placement Sites

These sites allow you to search job opportunities, but they do not have resume services.

• www.careerbuilder.com — This site provides a list of companies that have job openings. Careerbuilder.com also provides insight into resume building and has an e-mail alert system.

• www.fedworld.gov — This Department of Commerce site is an online locator for federal government openings.

• www.careersingovernment.com — This interactive online service will help you find opportunities in both industry and government. A resume posting facility is available, but your resume is removed after four months, if it has not been accessed.

• www.job-hunt.org — Provides links to numerous placement resources, university career centers, commercial services, and reference materials. It also provides listings in both industry and academia. The job opportunities are international in scope and there is a link to www.hotjobs.com, which will allow you to post your resume.

Specifically for Entry-Level Job Seekers

These sites are geared to professionals who are just starting out.

• www.collegegrad.com — This job site is useful for college graduates looking for their first post-graduation job. It includes information on resume and letter writing, job searches and the interview process.

• www.jobtrak.com — This entry-level job site sponsored by Monster.com lists intern positions as well as full-time permanent openings. It has a message board, online career fair information, an employer showcase, and resume posting (with registration).

For the Globally Minded

• www.planetrecruit.com posts international opportunities in engineering, IT/telecommunications, sales and marketing, and other areas.

Job Fair Sites

Several sites are dedicated to providing information about job fairs. Many are listed on IEEE-USA's web site. Among them are www.brassring.com and www.professional-exchange.com.

Go Straight to the Source

Remember, you can also go directly to company sites for their job listings. Most of these include instructions and an address for e-mailing your resume and cover letter. Your local television station web site may also post local job opportunities. And finally, don't forget the traditional tried-and-true job search technique: person-to-person "networking" is still alive and well and is still an invaluable recruiting and placement tool.

If you have taken advantage of any Internet job search tools, we want to hear from you. Please send us your words of wisdom or your experience. Let us know what sites or aspects of electronic job searches you found useful and which sites worked better for you.

Dr. George W. Zobrist is Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri-Rolla, Department of Computer Science. He is IEEE-USA Member Activities Editor.