How to apply for jobs online

- If you're searching for a job, searching online is an incredible resource that is also incredibly overwhelming and competitive. What can you do to save yourself some effort and frustration? I'm going to break down six key things to do when you're job searching online. First, use smaller niche job sites instead of big-box sites. The big-box job search websites have millions of listings in one place. But you don't need millions of listings. You need a handful, maybe a few dozen listings that are right up your alley. On smaller sites, ones for specific industries, career fields, geographic regions, or types of jobs, you'll find a smaller group of curated jobs. Research the smaller job boards that fit you. Next, sign up for job alerts via text or email. Because the average job posting gets its first application three minutes after it's posted, you need to hear about listings quickly. You don't need to be the first person to apply, but you don't want to let the listing sit for days or weeks without acting. So take the time to put some thought and effort into your application. Apply to the newest jobs first. If you're looking online and you find two listings, one that was posted last week and one that was posted yesterday, apply to yesterday's listing first. Why? Well, recruiters review resumes in chronological order, so if you're one of the first applicants, you're more likely to be reviewed. Once a recruiter has enough candidates for interviews, he or she is not going to review other resumes that come in. The job posting from a week ago, apply anyway, but make it a lower priority over more recent postings. Another tip, make sure your social media profiles are professional and private. If you use pages like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, set your privacy settings to the maximum and clean up unprofessional posts. 93% of companies screen job applicants online. So take control of what they can and can't see about you. Have a LinkedIn profile. It's free, it's really easy to set up, and it gives employers something professional to learn about you when they screen you online. Use the same name that you use on your resume, so your LinkedIn page will come up in search results. Be on the lookout for ads and scams. Most job boards make money through advertisements and paid listings. So be critical when you're looking at jobs online. What you really want is a true job listing, not an ad or a multi-level marketing scheme. And speaking of schemes, if you're looking for a work-from-home job, there are 60 to 70 scam job listings for every one legitimate job. So avoid search terms like work from home and work at home because they're used by scammers. Instead, use keywords like telecommuting, remote, and virtual. And never give out secure, personal info like your social security or bank account numbers. If a job listing uses lots of capitalizations, dollar signs, or is grammatically incorrect, steer clear. And if a job seems too good to be true, like it promises you'll make thousands of dollars from home in your pajamas, it's probably a scam. With an online job search, be quick and prepared but also discerning and critical. Use smaller job boards, sign up for alerts, and keep your social media profiles clean. And don't forget to have a skeptic's eye when it comes to job scams. Put all of these tips together, and you're on your way to online-job-search success.