According to the news media, there are thousands of
online career sites. This can present a dilemma to job seekers who need to
determine which career sites can help them in their search for a job. Faced
with a multitude of sites all clamoring for their attention, it's easy for
job seekers to become frustrated.
So, let's step back and find a different perspective on
career sites. Let's define a set of categories, a taxonomy if you will, into
which career sites can be organized. This taxonomy will help job seekers
make sense of the many sites that are available.
So, here are some simple categories that can help job
seekers find the perspective they need to decide which career sites to use:
Generalist Career Sites: These are sites that
serve all types of
careers and provide a wide range of services. Their primary focus is typically
on computer-related professions, with varying amounts of support for other
fields. This is a result of the fact that computer professionals change jobs
frequently, and had the knowledge to use the World Wide Web before members
of most other professions. This emphasis is beginning to change. Typical
examples include Monster.com and
Headhunter.net.
Niche Sites: This type of site deliberately
serves one specific
market niche very well, but does not provide services for other career
areas. A perfect example is Layover.com,
a well-designed career site for truckers. Another is
CareerBank.com.
Amateur Sites: These are the
"get rich quick" sites that
typically use the "if you build it, they will come" marketing
strategy. These sites usually have an amateur look and feel, are supported
by little or no marketing and provide virtually no value to anybody.
Regional Sites: These are sites that have been
created to serve a specific geographical region. While these local sites
can vary widely in technical scope and usefulness, there can be no doubt
that a well-executed regional site can provide significant value for local
job seekers.
Online Classifieds: These are sites that provide
online classifieds for job seekers. They are typically an adjunct to a
newspaper or magazine. The best, like
Best Jobs U.S.A., a companion to
a national magazine called Employment Review, can provide
significant value to job seekers. Sadly, many of these sites provide ample
evidence that many print media publishers fundamentally do not understand
the interactive nature of the Web.
Counseling Sites: Many career sites focus on career
counseling rather than explicitly trying to match up job seekers with
employers. These sites can provide an abundance of advice and information to
job seekers, but usually don't provide resume posting or job listing
services. An effective site of this nature is the
Job Hunter's Bible, sponsored
by Richard Nelson Bolles, the world-famous author of What Color is Your
Parachute?
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Company Sites: Some companies now post job listings on their
company web page. A few also offer the ability to submit resumes online,
or at least provide contact information. Company sites can be useful
when the job seeker has some idea already of which companies may be
of interest.
