Over the last decade, how people discover new job opportunities has evolved dramatically. When was the last time that you looked at a newspaper to find your next job?
These days, the majority of job searches are conducted online, spawning a whole new industry around job boards, recruitment websites and job posting platforms. However, with all of these advancements, the modern job search can still seem a bit complicated and time consuming. Here are a number of tools that can help simplify and organise your job search process:
1. Email Alerts:
Email Alerts are a useful way of keeping up-to-date with the latest vacancies available direct from any job board or corporate careers site. By signing up to the alerts, you’ll get notified every time there’s a job that matches your search requirements and save you from having to check multiple websites every day. Indeed aggregates vacancies from several job boards and careers site which guarantees you get the most comprehensive run down of jobs available. Alternatively, you can use Google Alerts to monitor job vacancies from the companies you are targeting as well as any press releases or company updates which could prove useful for your search.
2. Google Homepage:
The Google Homepage service will be deprecated by November 2013 but until then, you can still use it to set up your ‘Job search dashboard’. Using iGoogle widgets, you can subscribe to RSS feeds from different job sites and have up to 9 of the latest jobs from each site displayed side by side. The widgets update frequently and are clickable links to the live job advertisements. This affords you an ‘at-a-glance’ view of all the open jobs available without accessing each site separately. You can also add other useful widgets such as Gmail, Calendar, Google directions and even a currency converter if you’re looking at international jobs.
If you don’t want to use iGoogle, there are free alternatives such as uStart.org which work in a similar way.
3. LinkedIn:
LinkedIn, the much touted professional networking site offers numerous opportunities for job seekers to connect with recruiters, potential employers and industry peers. It can be a valuable source of information and leads. Most employers and recruitment agencies will have a presence on the network and are open to connecting with job seekers either on LinkedIn groups or on a one-to-one basis. You can also use LinkedIn to research everything you can about a potential hiring manager and his team.
4. PocketResume:
If you’ve been inactive on the job search front for a while, your CV is probably outdated. If you don’t have the luxury of time or the patience to sit in front of a computer and put together a new CV on a bulky piece of word processing software, there is PocketResume. It is an easy to use app for smartphones and tablets which allows you to create professional looking CVs with the minimum of fuss. Your CV will then be converted into a PDF, ready to be sent to the next hiring manager.
However, do bear in mind that using a service like this will have limitations on customisation and that you may still need to create a version of your CV in a Word document format.
5. Google Drive + Dropbox:
Most recruitment websites and job boards see the highest traffic during the week with peak times at working hours. While you may be able to conduct your job search at work, you might not always have a copy of your CV on your work computer. Using Google Drive or Dropbox to store your CV ensures that you have access to your files from any device and apply for jobs whenever you need to.
6. Wisestamp:
Wisestamp is a nifty tool for creating email signatures where you can add links to your online profiles as well as other contact details. It offers a richer experience than just signing your email with your full name.
So you got invited for an interview, now it’s time to do your research:
7. Evernote:
Evernote is a productivity tool that allows you to record and categorise web clippings, photos, videos and documents as well as import your hand-written notes and audio memos into one central place. Evernote will sync across your devices and has a robust search facility that should make rifling through your files easier. Think of it as a virtual filing cabinet where you can organise all the information you have regarding each and every job you apply for. The savvy job seeker will have a folder for each job containing the job description, the CV you sent, links to the employer’s career site, contact information for the recruiter as well as post-interview notes.
8. Glassdoor:
Glassdoor provides more than just approval ratings and reviews for companies and CEOs. You can also find information on the site regarding salaries and interview questions which other users have submitted, along with the occasional tip on how to answer them.
Especially when you’re interviewing with a big organisation, it’s important to figure out how you can present yourself in a way that hiring managers start to picture you fitting in to their culture. Reading reviews from current and former employers facilitates that and is an easy way to get a “feel” for the company before you even set foot in the building.
9. MyInterview Simulator:
MyInterview Simulator is an online mock interview tool which has a bank of practice questions and response suggestions. The questions are delivered in video format. Although your responses are not recorded, it still helps to have a human being ask you questions instead of just reading them off of a list when you’re practicing.
10. Camcard:
CamCard is a professional business card reader and manager. Using your smartphone, you can easily scan the business cards you receive after an interview. You can then add notes to each card and merge the details with other existing contact information you have. The app also syncs across all devices which provides easy access to your contact list from anywhere.
Which tools do you use? Let us know in the comments below!
