Searching the Internet
The Basics
What is the Internet? It's a collection of computers and servers all over the world which store and distribute information. Servers are the controllers for computers which have been networked (connected) together into groups.
How does it work? Each time you connect your computer to the Internet, it's as if you are entering the on ramp of a freeway. Via software called a browser, you connect to a server located at an online service such as AOL or an Internet Service Provider (ISP). This service provides access to the collection of computers which make up the Internet. This is the freeway. Once you are on the freeway, you can access the stored information by entering an Internet address or URL. This will take you to a site where that information is located. However, just as on the freeway where there are numerous off ramps with even more numerous choices for food, lodging, and gas, on the Internet, there are a multitude of sites which you can choose.
How do you narrow this search down? Through the use of search engines and directories. First, though, you will want to know more about internet addresses. Then you will want to learn the search criteria which will help you narrow down your search.
Finally, you will want to know the difference between a search engine, and a directory and how each can help you. A directory is just what it says. It is a listing of Web pages by topic. Pick one and then keep clicking until you reach the category you want. Directories are best for finding entire Web sites on specific subjects. Yahoo is probably the best known directory. Another types of directory is YellowPages.com.
Search engines actually search the Web for words which match the words you give them. The results of this search will list all of the pages which contain matches. As this can be thousands, you will want to have a good knowledge of search criteria to help you narrow your search. Google, Terra Lycos, and HotBot are three of the biggest search engines.
At an early point in your job search, you will probably want to post your resume on one or more of the Internet job boards. When you do so, most will require that you set up an account with them, establishing a name and password in order to log in. Just surfing these sites to check out job postings will not require a password, but posting your resume and accessing your account will. Warning: You should NOT have to pay for these services.
Each job board will provide instructions as to setting up an account and posting your resume. Plan to spend about half an hour for each resume you post. You will want to return to the site at least once every two weeks to refresh your resume, using the edit function save a new copy of it. This way you maintain a current date on your resume making it more likely to get picked up in employers' and recruiters' search efforts.
You can set up search agents on most job boards to search the board for you at specific (weekly works well) intervals and report back any jobs which have been posted containing certain key words. Search agents can be great time savers as they do the initial work for you.
Beware: services which tell you that for a certain fee they will send your resume out to multiple employers or who ask you to pay to post your resume in their database. Spamming (sending multiple e-mails out to random employers) has an EXTREMELY low success rate, conveys desperation, and, in many cases, is considered an annoyance guaranteed to get your resume thrown in the circular file (or a desktop trashcan).
The job boards most often consulted by employers are Monster, Dice (for technical positions), CareerBuilder, and AmericasJobBank, all of which offer resume posting for no charge.
