Job-hunting is rarely fun. No matter what kind of job you’re looking for or what method you’re using to find it, searching for employment is often just, well—work! That’s why it’s imperative that job-seekers keep an open mind to some relatively new (compared to the newspaper, that is) places to look for job listings.
There are many newsgroups that are created especially for the purpose of job searching. Most are computer-related jobs, but there are other kinds of jobs also available through newsgroups. There are newsgroups dedicated to job ads and those that only accept resumes. There are those on career choices and the job market. Employers can even post employment opportunities on newsgroups. A lot of job sites, recruiters and employers check these sites regularly for resumes or other job- related activities.
Some groups are dedicated to job ads, while others are dedicated to résumé submissions, job-wanted messages, or general discussions about jobs and careers. Job sites, résumé banks, recruiters and employers often visit newsgroups to retrieve résumés, read job-wanted messages or post job ads.
Networking is what job-related newsgroups are all about.You may even run across your own résumé. Some recruiters, job sites and résumé banks post résumés to newsgroups, to give you maximum exposure.
Before you post, study the messages to get an idea of what is allowed, so you aren’t banned from future postings. You also want to avoid getting flamed for posting inappropriate messages.
When you begin browsing through the available job-related newsgroups, some of the ones you see may include misc.jobs.misc, alt.jobs, us.jobs, and biz.jobs. These are some of the major newsgroups.
Using newsgroups to find jobs is all about networking. So make sure that you have a strong network to work with. Before you post anything on a job related newsgroup, make sure you are clear about what you are posting, as there are moderators who will block you from future posting, if they find your remarks inappropriate.
Here are four tips while searching through on Job Newsgroups:
1) Not only is there a misc.jobs.misc group, but there is also a misc.jobs.offered, misc.jobs.entry, and a misc.jobs.contract group. (Other hierarchies follow similar patterns.) Misc.jobs was the original group, but it became so large that it split into several smaller, more specific groups. The intended content of these groups should be pretty obvious. Misc.jobs.entry focuses on entry-level jobs, misc.jobs.contract covers contract employment, misc.jobs.offered is the place to find full-time jobs, and so on
2) For a quick guide about the purpose of a particular newsgroup, read through its list of frequently asked questions (FAQs). Understanding the basic content of a particular newsgroup will not only help you decide if you want to join the group, it will also tell you what types of posts are acceptable.
3) Besides the general hierarchies, there are hundreds of newsgroups that cater to specific geographic areas. If you’re looking for a job in your hometown and you don’t want to sift through an infinity of posts for jobs in other places, your best bet is to find a job-related newsgroup for your city or state. Narrowing your search to a more location-specific group should save you quite a bit of time and frustration.
4) Finding newsgroups for job openings in specific fields. These groups aren’t as common, and there certainly isn’t a group for every type of job. Nonetheless, it doesn’t hurt to check it out. Examples of newsgroups we found include alt.medical.sales.jobs, alt.building.jobs, and prg.jobs (for programming jobs). Although these groups aren’t usually location-specific, they will save you the time of browsing through listings that aren’t even in your field of interest.
Job-hunting isn’t usually an overnight process so make sure you don’t give up on newsgroups if your first experience is disappointing. You never know where you’ll find your next job, it could be that the position you’re looking for is as close as your newsreader. Good Luck!
Here is but the first few of the hundreds of possible newsgroups to choose from related to finding a job:
alt.bestjobsusa.computer.jobs
alt.bestjobsusa.pennsylvania.jobs
alt.bestjobsusa.newjersey.jobs
alt.bestjobsusa.management.jobs
alt.bestjobsusa.pittsburgh.jobs
alt.bestjobsusa.engineering.jobs
alt.medical.sales.jobs.offered
macromedia.general.job.opportunities
alt.bestjobsusa.cincinnati.jobs
alt.bestjobsusa.cleveland.jobs
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