Even in 2012 Job boards remain a number 2 candidate source for recruiters and even with the popularity of social media. Major job boards like CareerBuilder and Monster and job board aggregators like Simply Hired and Indeed  are some of the most popular ways for companies to develop a candidate pool when looking to fill an open position.

How does an employee candidate stand out from the virtual pack  of job hunters when posting a resume on a major job search board?

TIPS FOR JOB HUNTING ON CAREERBUILDER, MONSTER, ETC

• Your Resume Title. First impressions are important and the title of your online resume will determine whether your resume gets a first look on the employment search engine. Include action words in the title that best describe your experience and are different from the norm. An example would be a Certified AMX Audio Visual Professional.

• Include an Objective in Your Online & Resume Profile. An objective describes what career opportunity as well as industry you are interested in learning more about. Recruiters spend roughly 10 seconds or less per resume on the job boards. Keep your employment objective simple, direct and to the point. For example, Seasoned and Certified Human Resource Director interested in opportunity within the non-profit industry. Limit your objective to 1-2 sentences.

• Resume Format. Include bullets, open space, dates, and quantitative numbers on your resume to help the job search engines index your resume in the right category. Avoid spelling errors, unprofessional email addresses, and a format that is not easily skimmed and no more than 2 pages.

• Update Your Profile Weekly. Job boards list resumes by most recently updated and allow recruiters to use search by resumes updated daily, weekly, and monthly. Keep your resume at the top of the pack by updating it weekly. You can also take advantage of CareerBuilder’s advantage option which automatically provides you this service but at a fee.

• Use Searchable Buzzwords & Keyword Terms. Recruiters resume mine for qualified employment candidates also by keyword search. Include terms relevant to the industry or job you are interested in. Include any specialized certifications and their abbreviations as well as other specific qualifications to increase your exposure.

• Include Your Contact Information. Job recruiters do not have the time or patience to contact a candidate that uses an anonymous resume on a job search board. Increase your exposure odds by including your contact information, including email and phone numbers.

Successful Job Search

Job board candidate profiles as well as your LinkedIn professional profile need to be updated and managed on a regular basis.  Your job search isn’t an easy task.  It takes hard to work to manage, develop, and execute a successful job search campaign.