Job Searching in the 21st Century Myths and Realities no. 14 Essay

Job Searching in the 21st Century Myths and Realities "Find your dream job online!" "Electronic job search revolution!" Of all the hype surrounding the Internet, one of the biggest claims may be how information technology is changing the way people look for jobs. A huge number of electronic job resources are available: resume posting sites, job vacancy databases, employer websites, discussion boards and newsgroups, industry salary and information sites, and general career information sites. The Internet gives job seekers access to vast amounts of information about vacancies and employers, 24-hour availability, broader geographic reach, networking, career development advice, and simplified resume distribution (Dikel 2001). For recruiters and employers, the Internet can speed up the hiring process, provide a large pool of applicants, and reduce advertising and other costs (Pearce and Tuten 2001). But how effective is online job searching? Are traditional methods now a waste of time? Like everything else in cyberspace, online job hunting i s constantly changing. For example, a 1999 Fortune magazine cover announced "I got my job online-and soon so will you" (Useem 1999). Now a 2001 article advises: "Enjoy being unemployed? Keep job hunting online" (Fisher 2001). And measuring any kind of Internet use is a perilous process--a variety of conflicting statistics can be found. This publication investigates some myths and realities of job searching in the 21st century. Out with the Old? Are job seekers flocking to online search methods? Approximately 100,000 sites offer resume posting and classified ad services; estimates of the number of resumes on the Web range from 2.5 million (Pearce and Tuten 2001) to 20 million (Corsini ... ...e." December 13, 2000. http://cyberatlas.internet.com/markets/professional/article/0,,5971_534601,00.html Kuhn, P., and Skuterud, M. "Job Search Methods: Internet versus Traditional." Monthly Labor Review 123, no. 10 (October 2000): 3-11. Li, C.; Charron, C.; and Dash, A.. "The Career Networks." Cambridge, MA: Forrester Research, 2000. http://www.forrester.com "Net Playing Role in Job Searches." May 15, 1999. http://cyberatlas.internet.com/markets/professional/article/0,,5971_153281,00.html Pearce, C. G., and Tuten, T. L "Internet Recruiting in the Banking Industry." Business Communication Quarterly 64, no. 1 (March 2001): 9-18. Useem, J. "For Sale Online: You." Fortune 140, no. 1 (July 5, 1999): 66-78. "Web Expands Role in Corporate Recruiting." March 29, 2000. http://cyberatlas.internet.com/markets/professional/article/0,,5971_330331,00.html