The New Rules of Online Job Hunting

Jan. 7, 2011— -- As any astute job seeker knows, the days of sitting on your duff 20, 30 or 40 hours a week while scouring the online job boards are over. But it's not enough to simply slap a profile on LinkedIn, or make a couple of pithy tweets, and wait to see whether any of your contacts announce an employment opening.

To truly be a web-savvy job seeker, you need to embrace the new rules of online job hunting. Follow them, and it could make the difference between a protracted employment hunt and starting your next gig before spring.

Scouring the Job Boards for Openings vs. Using Them as a Research Tool

Old rule: Mine the online job sites for employment openings to which you can submit your resume, but do so sparingly. The crafty job seeker knows when it's time to get out of the house and press the flesh.

New rule: Forget about applying for work through the online jobs boards and posting your resume on them for all the recruiters of the world to see. Instead, the judicious job seeker uses online job sites for research only; sniffing out which companies are hiring, what sort of candidates they're looking for and what experience is required. Then she'll mine her LinkedIn, Facebook and other online networks for a contact who can make an introduction to a mover and shaker at the companies she's learned are hiring. Why send your resume into the jobs@somecompany.com void when you can have a real live person at the firm you're targeting pass along your resume for you?

Relying on Your Resume vs. Creating an Online Presence

Old rule: When it comes to selling yourself to employers, your resume is your be-all-end-all marketing tool -- so much so, that you've forwarded it to everyone you've ever met in your life and posted it to no less than 39 job-hunting websites.

New rule: Gone are the days of your resume being your self-promotion mainstay. Today it's all about earning a rock star reputation online. "Use blogs and social networks to communicate what makes you a special and attractive candidate. Attract the right job opportunities by explaining what you're passionate about and the types of jobs you're interested in," said personal branding expert Dan Schawbel, author of "Me 2.0: 4 Steps to Building Your Future."