This article is part of a series from The Career Doctor's Cures & Remedies to Quintessentially Perplexing Career and Job-Hunting Ailments. Read more. To me, this question is really double-barreled. In other words, I really see two potential problems here. The first issue I'm concerned about is the use of the Internet in job-hunting. Some job-seekers seem to think that the Net is some sort of magic elixir that helps people find new jobs, and while you can certainly find a new job using any number of Web resources, the key is that the Web should be just one small part of your job search strategy. Be sure to use other traditional job-hunting sources, such as networking, cold calling, career fairs, want ads, college placement offices, and others. And while on the subject of responding to online job ads, let me also suggest that job-seekers take advantage of the four specific types of job sites on the Web:
The second issue that concerns me is the issue of follow-up -- or the lack of follow-up in job-hunting. I cannot say this statement often enough: it is essential that job-seekers follow-up all job leads, all interviews, in all job-hunting situations. Employers are not going to come after you; you need to track down the employers. The old adage about the squeaky wheel getting the oil works for job-seekers -- just as long as you don’t keep contacting the employers to the point of annoyance. Contacting the employer about a particular job opening shows your continued interest in the opening - and could be just enough to give you an edge over other job-seekers. A good article about follow-up -- and the other key stages of a job-search -- is: The Domino Effect: Key Phases of Your Job Search.
See a list of all the most common college, career, and job questions -- and Dr. Hansen's solutions. Who is the Career Doctor? Learn more, read his current career column, or browse the column archives when you visit the Career Doctor's homepage.
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Dr. Randall S. Hansen is a nationally recognized career and job-search expert.
He is Founder and Webmaster of Quintessential Careers, as
well as publisher of its electronic newsletter, 