Want to make a bet?

If you’re reading this, I’ll bet you’re looking for a job and you have Internet access.

Pretty clever, aren’t I?

Well, no.

Because this column is always about job search, that part’s a given.

And, when it comes to Internet access, that’s like phone service or indoor plumbing - it’s just something you’ve got to have.

So, since you’re going to use the Internet in your job search, you might as well use it as effectively as possible (although it should never eclipse the most-effective job-hunting method of all - talking to other people).

With that in mind, here are three ways to use the Internet to get hired faster …


1) Post Your Resume in More Places
Like most people, you’ve probably uploaded your resume to one of the monstrously large employment web sites. But, more and more, that’s not enough.

“What a lot of job seekers don’t realize is that the big career sites are not cheap for employers to use. It costs money to search through resumes - and it adds up,” says Jim Stroud, General Manager of TheRecruitersLounge.com. (www.JobsInMinneapolis.com is not considered a 'big career site' - it focuses on local employers and local candidates, and caters to companies large and small.)

If you post your resume to only the biggest sites, you won’t be found by smaller search firms and employers who don’t have access to them, according to Stroud. “They’re going to do a Google search and try to find resumes for free.”

One way to appear in more places - and get found on more search engines - is to give your resume its own web presence.

You can do that at Geocities.com or Tripod.com. A new service at Emurse.com will host your resume and looks promising. And don’t forget Linkedin.com as a place to post your qualifications. The only cost for these resources is your time - they’re all free. (You can also upload your resume and apply for jobs on www.JobsInMinneapolis.com. There is no charge for job seekers.)


2) Use More Keywords
If you want employers to find your resume faster, you can lead them there by scattering crumbs online, in the form of keywords, according to Amybeth Hale (ResearchGoddess.com), a Sourcing Strategist for public relations firm Waggener Edstrom. “The keywords to use in your online profiles can include relevant job titles, skills, industry names, certifications, professional groups, and the like.”

Two ways to generate a long list of potential keywords are as follows: 1) think about the things that you do in your work and 2) look at job postings that appeal to you.

Here’s another exercise: Go to Google. Search for your industry’s keywords plus your city name and the word “resume”, and see who pops up. Obviously, those people have put the right keywords in their resumes. Emulate them.


3) Get Endorsements
Getting your resume found by hiring managers doesn’t automatically mean you’ll get interviewed. You must appear attractive and credible enough to merit a phone call.

And one of the best ways to do so is for other people to sing your praises through endorsements.

It’s a simple matter to lift one or two sentences from performance reviews, letters of recommendation - even emails - written by clients or managers, and put them in your online resume in the form of quotes. Be sure to include the years when they were said.

Example - Supervisor said: “Sally was the top programmer among 21 people in our division. She always got the job done on time and right the first time.” (2008)

One or two testimonials like that in your resume and you’ll stand out like LeBron James in Munchkinland.

There’s even a place for testimonials on Linkedin profiles. When recruiters find a candidate there, they see comments from other people about that individual. More recommendations equal more credibility, according to Stroud. “If I see one profile with five or six endorsements, and another with none, I’ll lean towards the candidate with endorsements.”

So, if you’re going to get online, be sure to get endorsements posted on your profile and resume. Otherwise, the first time an employer looks you over may be the last.

Now, go out and make your own luck.