Pet Peeves in the Online Job Market

In today's society, almost everything is computerized. Here is a discussion of why the current online job market can be frustrating for applicants. Three drawbacks of the online job searching are discussed here: submitting a proprietary online application, submitting a resume online at a career site, and the misleading advertising of large companies.

The first drawback concerns the online application completed directly on a prospective employer's web site. You can fill it out from any Internet terminal, but it is easiest to complete at home or at the employer's kiosk. While the online application was created conveniently for applicants and employers, the online application takes away one important aspect of the hiring process.

If you apply online or at a kiosk, it is unlikely that you get a chance to speak with a manager who can hire you. It is also challenging to set your application apart from other applications. One problem with some proprietary applications is that there is not enough room to list more than a few employers. If you are holding down one or two temporary jobs and also listing your previous employer, there is no room to show previous positions which demonstrate your relevant experience. If your experience is farther in the past than your last job, you can't even look outstanding on the digital application.

The second drawback involves the ease with which you can submit online resumes at sites like Monster and CareerBuilder. While on the surface career sites and online resumes are conveniences, they have also created huge applicant pools, sometimes hundreds and thousands of contenders for the same job. You are up against everybody and his brother who wants that great job.

There is more potential to make your online resume stand out. You usually get a confirmation from the web site or the employer that your application was received. However, it is typical not to receive any further response. Another drawback is that you don't even know if anyone looked at your application.

The third drawback is the misleading advertising of large employers. When you go on the Internet and find job listings, it seems you have a good chance of finding a job due to the multiple listings. Here is an example of what happens. Recently, a woman applied online for a holiday job at Macy's. Two days after submitting the online application, she received an email inviting her to a "career event" at the local department store. She took time out of her day to go to the store and felt misled because all they wanted was for her to complete a paper application. It was a waste of time and gas because no interviews were conducted at the event. She also learned that the store received over 200 applications and there were only 10 positions available. So to get hired, you had to be one in twenty.

These realities and many other conditions of the job market indicate that it has clearly changed. Here is some advice. As a job seeker, change your expectations about the prospect of finding a job online. It is quite possible to spend months completing hundreds of online applications and still not find a job. Although major employers have made it difficult to get a job by not letting you talk to a manager in person, there are still many smaller employers who will be happy to meet you the old-fashioned way.

Don't be discouraged from applying online. Just remember, depending on what you seek, online applications may not work quickly or effectively for you.