WebRev Blog

In a tough job market, your ability to work your network is key to finding a job, and in today's world, that happens online.  In the past, the best site for job contacts was LinkedIn.com.

Have I ever mentioned that I find Linked-In(or is it LinkedIn? LinkedIN?) annoying.  For one thing, I'm never sure the proper way to spell it, and it doesn't "look" right no matter how you do.  For another, it's so complicated, and I find it counter-intuitive.  It requires you to put all of your contacts into categories that they really may or may not "fit" in.  For example, most of the people I've met over the years who are likely to help me find work are not people I've actually worked with. They are people I've met at conventions or online, and this type of connection is not even recognized on LinkedIn.  For another, you get to "know" people by socializing, and LinkedIn is not good for that - it's "all business," which for me ends up being "no business."

Apparently, I'm not the only one.  The folks at a new start-up, called "In the Door" figured out a workable solution.  It's a Facebook App that meshes your Facebook friends' employers with Indeed.com's job listings.  With just a few clicks, you can easily view a list of job openings at the companies where your Facebook friends work (i.e., where you already have connections). 

To try it out, sign in to Facebook, then go to InTheDoor.com, and follow the instructions.  Within a couple of minutes, you'll have a list of your friends and their employers sorted by location, as well as how many jobs are listed at each employer.  Clicking on the number of jobs gives you a list of job openings at that employer,  and clicking on each job opening gives you a brief description of the job with a link to the full listing Indeed.com (a job search engine that compiles listings from many online job sites). 

Jennifer Pointer (e-mail) is in Tulsa, OK. She promotes a simple, a low-tech approach to effective online profile management, search engine optimization and social networking. 
 

This week, we're talking about RSS Feeds, and recommending top sites in their blogging niche's which you may want to consider adding to your feed-reader lists.  With the state of the economy today, many people are out of work, or looking to supplement their current income with part-time work.  Yesterday, we listed some great online education resources for career adults. Here are some great online resources. for helping those career seekers with a more effective job search.

Careerealism

 

Careerealism's motto is "because EVERY Job is Temporary."  This is a great resource for career tips for anyone in any stage of a job search - from looking for an entry-level job, to changing careers, to seeking promotion within a current career.  There are inteview tips, tips for marketing yourself, and tips for getting along with co-workers and superiors.  To subscribe to the feed, click HERE.

 

JobMob

 

 JobMob is a microblog, which does a fantastic job of using Facebook, Twitter and Stumbleupon* for keeping its readers updated, as well as podcasting, for those who need to get their career-advice on-the-go. There is also a lot of humor, to make what is often the dread-task of looking for a job easier to bear.  Click HERE to subscribe to the feed.

 

Personal Branding Blog

 

Dan Schawbel's Personal Branding Blog is a must for anyone considering moving into freelance or consulting work, and also for those seeking executive-level positions.  Selling yourself can initially be a very uncomfortable process, but Dan's daily updates show readers how to do it in a way that is natural.  For the feed, click HERE.

 

WebWorkerDaily

 

Part of the GigOM Network, WebWorkerDaily is a great resource for anyone in the IT business, but especially for freelancers who are in consulting, programming, web design, or related work.  This site gives great updates on industry news, and tips for working from home.  The feed is HERE.

A note of caution when posting your resume or applying for a job online - do not use your social security number or date of birth.  If there is a chance that you could get fired from your current job by applying for a new job online - do not use the name of your current employer (you can replace this with the type of business it is, i.e. "small life insurance company," etc.

*Tomorrow, we'll discuss the best places to network.

Jennifer Pointer (e-mail) is a trainer and tech writer in Tulsa, OK. She promotes a simple, a low-tech approach to effective online profile management, search engine optimization and social networking. Her weakness is the mocha frappuccino.