On the Hunt: Job search in the 21st century

The holidays are almost here and I would like to be among the first to say “see ya later 2009”! Yes, it’s been a rough year for not only myself, but also for the millions of Americans who have been affected by the economic crisis here in the U.S. Even as companies begin to stabilize, the amount of available jobs not only continue to remain scarce, but also are often met with fierce competition as hundreds of applicants apply for the same position. While it can be tough to stay optimistic when there is no crystal ball laying around, one thing is for certain – I’m glad I’m looking for a job now rather than 10 years ago.

It’s hard to believe that 10 years ago I was a junior in college and just beginning to think about applying for internships while wondering where I would land my first job when I graduated. While the Internet was around, its job search resources were not nearly as abundant as they are today. I remember sending out countless letters and resumes via “snail mail” to companies and agencies hoping they would contact me for an interview. Oh the hours I must have spent printing, addressing and mailing those letters while trying to avoid getting a paper cut…

Since being laid off almost a year ago, not a day doesn’t go by that I don’t thank my lucky stars for the Internet and the ease with which it has allowed me to connect with colleagues, research companies and apply for jobs. I have set up standard daily searches on meta search sites like Indeed.com and Simplyhired.com that pull job postings from a variety of sources and display them all in one central location for me to peruse. That function alone makes these sites a definite time saver.

I’ve also embraced social networking sites like LinkedIn.com and Facebook.com as a way to connect with colleagues and network with potential employers across the country. These types of networking sites have also been great for facilitating introductions with employees of companies that I am interested in working for. Without them I doubt these introductions would have been possible. LinkedIn has also enabled recruiters who are looking for candidates with a similar skill set to mine, to be able to contact me directly about a potential position.

Even though I haven’t fully embraced some of the advances in emerging media I have to say that its ability to transform my job search process from a time-consuming, manual one into a 24/7 online environment has been invaluable. What’s the next step in this evolution going to be? I’m asking Santa for a common, streamlined application process.

As my own personal PSA, if anyone is looking to hire a seasoned marketing communications professional you can find me on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/kmhoffman.