Posting and Blasting: The Internet and Your Resume

The internet has accelerated the job application process. Job seekers can view and reply to any of thousands of online job listings in the time it takes to send an email.

In addition to these listings, however, are sites that allow job seekers to post their resume online for viewing by potential employers who may have escaped the seeker's attention. Some sites upload the resume directly from the seeker's computer. Others guide the seeker through the process of creating a resume using questions and prompts. These sites may be of assistance to those having difficulty creating a resume on their own.

The proliferation of these job search sites - upwards of 1,700 according to jobomagic.com - has created new bottlenecks even as it has removed others. Individually posting resumes to multiple sites can become as time-consuming as a mass mailing. Now, a host of additional sites will do this work for you. Resume "blasting" services forward your resume to multiple job search sites and, in some cases, to recruiters and directly to employers.

Those seeking employment in a particular profession may wish to check for sites specific to that profession. The number of listings in the seeker's geographic area is also worth checking. With so many sites and services available, the job seeker must seek out those which provide the greatest possible return.