With so many jobsites on the web these days it's difficult to know which ones to use. So here are some basic guidelines to help you.

Which Job Site should I use?

Before surfing the web to look for a new career it is worth considering just what you expect from a job site and which of the many sites will work for you. Here are some pointers to help you out.  

A good job site will:-

Be quick and easy to navigate without interminable links to navigate before you get to where you want to be.

Have a quick and easy registration process, this includes the process of adding your c.v. to an online database which should be a simple process and not a time consuming exercise in filling out on line forms.

Provide a ‘Jobs by Email’ service whereby you can set certain criteria to automatically email you a list of new vacancies that match them on a regular basis.  

You should also verify that:-

There is an assurance that your personal details will not be disclosed to any third party organisations without your prior approval.

You can also look out for:-

Whether or not the site Is a member of the 'Association of Online Recruiters' (AOLR) and or 'The Recruitment and Employment Federation' (REC). If so this means that they have to abide by a code of conduct relating to how they process both vacancy and candidate data.

Whether or not the site has an 'ABC' verification certificate, which is an independent audit of how many people have actually visited the site.  

And Finally…

Was the site easy to find [via one of the major search engines]. If it took time to find then ask yourself how many other candidates/agencies/employers will make the same effort?

When the web site loads do a quick search of the site to see if there is a specific category for your industry or business sector; If there isn’t a matching category, then don’t waste time, move on to the next site on your list. Make sure that you check out both 'specialist' and 'generalist' job sites.

Remember: when you enter criteria for a 'jobs by email' service to be as specific as possible. Whilst the results may not be too exciting they will at least be very close to what you are looking for. Setting criteria with a wide all encompassing specification will just mean that whilst you get a big impressive list most of it is unsuitable for you.