Web2.0 Job Search Tools

Web2.0 Job Search Tools 2 Lacking an official definition, the Web2.0 label means different things to different people regardless of whether they have Israeli startups in mind. At its simplest, we can say that Web2.0 refers to the state of the Internet today as opposed to during the late '90s Internet Bubble. With that in mind, what has changed when it comes to job hunting? Live Search-able Job Listings Many sites now allow you to begin typing in a field, usually the search box, with results being automatically suggested before you've finished typing. Krop.com has implemented this well, and it does save a little time while making for a more pleasurable job search. Change: Evolution. Map Mashups Once Google Maps was launched and shown to be easily mashed up with other websites, it was only a matter of time before the maps started appearing everywhere. Many jobsites are now using the Maps technology such as HOBoJOB and JobMaps, which allow you to search Indeed.com‘s jobs database and plot the results on a Google Map. Jobhunters Online puts a twist on the idea, allowing job seekers to post their location so that recruiters can find them easily. Change: Evolution. Blogs Having an online presence is important when job hunting whether you're a student, aspiring writer, or just looking for your next big adventure. Before blogs, many people had personal websites where they were blogging without it being called that. What has changed is that new blogging technologies have made personal websites of this kind easier to launch, maintain and above all, interact with other bloggers via comments, trackbacks and pingbacks. Change: Revolution. RSS Really Simple Syndication technology is just that. So simple that millions of people are now using RSS feeds to keep track of everything and anything on the Internet, like search results for certain job criteria or updates on favorite job blogs (like this one). Yahoo! Pipes will even let you mix and blend any feeds to your heart's content. In the past, you would have needed to overwhelm your inbox to accomplish the same feats. Change: Revolution.eval Video The proliferation of video sharing sites like YouTube led people to begin posting video resumes of themselves, and there are already dedicated Video CV or VCV-posting sites. A nice idea until you realize that recruiters hate them since recruiters often lack the time to go through all the paper resumes they receive and video takes much longer to sort, assuming they even have the proper tools to do so. Plus, if your video is particularly memorable in a bad way, it could come back to haunt you as Aleksey Vayner found out. On the other hand, more and more companies are using video clips to sell themselves to prospective recruits. Change: Evolution. Podcasts Recorded audio resumes probably generate recruiter anger quicker than video resumes for the same reasons as above, but there are companies putting out audio job listings via sites like Jobs in Pods. Job seekers who spend hours scanning listings will find other Web2.0 innovations more appealing since this idea will only slow them down, but I think enough people will appreciate that they can listen to job podcasts on their cellphones. Change: Evolution.eval Social Networks If there's one concept that has become synonymous with Web2.0, it's social networks. The two kinds that are especially pertinent for job seekers and jobfinders are networks to help people contact each other such as LinkedIn (Guy Kawasaki explains why) and networks that filter the Web's best content- i.e. job search tips and advice â€" like Stumbleupon or Shaveh (Hebrew). Change: Revolution. Conclusion Many of the new Web2.0 technologies represent a significant leap forward, and some of them are so much fun to use that you may become distracted. However, if you stay disciplined you can reap their benefits of making networking simpler, improving your productivity and increasing your reach towards the ever elusive dream job. Early adopter?