Web Increasingly Important for Finding Jobs/Career Info

May 26, 2009 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A study of more than 500 Americans conducted by Sway, Inc. and commissioned by VisualCV found that 50% of all respondents currently have an online resume, have a resume posted online, or have a professional profile on a job or career Web site.

According to a press release, while 68% said the reason they post an online resume or create a professional profile was to find a job, more than a third do so to network. The following is how sources for learning about a job were ranked by respondents:

  • General Job Board – 58%;
  • Friend or Colleague (i.e. Word of Mouth) – 52%;
  • Company Web Site – 47%;
  • Newspaper Classifieds/Print Ad – 41%;
  • Google/Internet Searches – 35%;
  • Craig’s List – 27%;
  • Staffing Agency – 22%; and
  • Career Fair – 20%.

In addition to searching the web for job information, career seekers also look for expert advice, the press release said. For those individuals who connect with other professionals online, the top reasons cited are to learn skills or get educated on skills that would help them as a professional and to research other professionals’ knowledge and experiences.

The survey also found features that are important when selecting an online resume tool or establishing a professional profile include:

  • The appearance of the resume on the screen – 75%;
  • The link to your resume is automatically updated when you make changes – 73%;
  • Control of the privacy of your online resume/business profile (i.e., share one-to-one via e-mail, make public to anybody, etc.) – 70%;
  • Being able to track views to resume (i.e. the number of views and where they came from – 70%;
  • Ability to stand out more than with a traditional resume – 68%;
  • Portability: the ability to access it/use it anywhere online – 67%; and
  • Ability to search for jobs on the same site your online resume/profile is hosted – 64%.

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