How To Use Job Sites Effectively. The Dos & Don’ts

Online job application has made the job search process simpler by cutting down on the travelling people used to do to get applications to companies. Now all you have to do is send an email or fill a form if you want to apply for a specific job.
This has led to the growth of job websites that help you as a job seeker by showing you which positions are available for you to apply for. However, not knowing how to use theses job sites can lead to a frustrating job hunting process.
In this article, check out some of the tips on how to use job sites effectively in order to land a job.

Tips On How To Use Job Websites Well In Order To Get A Job

1. Complete your profile
Sadly most people are victims of this. You fill in your details on a job site and when it comes to uploading your CV and Cover Letter you opt to do it later.
Don’t just fill in your name and contact details, complete the profile as this will enable you to be found by employers who use the website to find candidates. This also applies if you are registering on the company’s website.
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2. Choose job sites carefully
Even as you look for jobs online, you have to be careful about which sites you are using to conduct your search. Fake job sites have cropped up and are being used by unscrupulous people to scam job seekers.
With that in mind, ensure that you research on the companies advertised to be hiring. You can also go ahead and send an email to the company to confirm if indeed they are hiring.
Also, use your discretion when you come across a job that requires you to pay certain amounts of money. The majority of companies in Kenya do not ask for any fee to interview with them. Therefore, choose sites that have a good reputation online and that are known to post jobs that truly exist.
3. Set up Email Job alerts
Since vacancies are advertised everyday from different companies and organizations, you should subscribe to job email alerts on these job sites.
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This will allow you to know of new job listings every day.  Another advantage of setting up job alerts is that you will have the advantage of applying for jobs as soon as they are posted. The faster you submit your application, the better.
4. Don’t abuse the job site
People have a bad habit of applying for every job they come across even if they are not qualified for it. According to Cynthia Wangeci, a recruitment manager at Corporate Staffing Services, if an employer keeps seeing your application for every job they post then you will most likely end up on their blacklist because you clearly don’t know what you want career wise.
It is advisable that you only apply for jobs you qualify for and that suit your career goals. This way you even have a better chance at getting a job.
5. Apply for jobs the right way
This is also a very common mistake. When a job is posted on job sites like Career Point Kenya, applying in the comment section does not mean you have applied for the position. Neither does sending any of the site managers your application count.
It is always advisable to apply where the advert tells you to apply, be it via email or on the company website. This is because most job sites do not go through applications for those positions; all they do is advertise them.
Therefore, applying in the comment section will not get you a job because the company hiring is not going through the comments.
6. Always follow instructions
Every advertised position has instructions on how to apply for it. For example, they can say that one needs to quote the title of the position you’re applying for as the reference as well as what to send in your application.
As a job seeker, it is important that you follow these rules to the letter because failure to do so will lead to automatic disqualification. This means that the next time you want to apply for a position on a job website, ensure you go through the advertisement and get any instructions on how to apply.
Searching for a job is never easy and you should be prepared to put in a lot of effort and time. However, when done right you will not have to wait for very long.
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By Michelle Wanjiku
Michelle is a Communications Officer/Digital Marketer at Career Point Kenya. Email: michelle@www.careerpointkenya.co.ke