ORGANIZING YOUR JOB SEARCH by Scott Budman
The numbers are sobering: 9.8 percent unemployment for the U.S., above 12 percent for Silicon Valley. Each month sends more people to the unemployment line, making your job hunt tougher, because on top of a slow economy, you’re also facing more competition for fewer jobs.
Used to be, the web gave you a leg up on the competition. No longer. For years now, even the most tech-unsavvy job seeker has known that going online is step one in a job search. But, really, do you want your resume to be one of 18 million on HotJobs or Monster.com? Lately, people have also gotten hip to social networking for jobs. Again, if you’re on Facebook LinkedIn, and Twitter, congratulations. You’re helping, but you’re also competing with millions of others who have the same idea.
One Silicon Valley startup company is betting that, where the job search is concerned, organization is the key. Ingboo.com wants to be your one-stop web company for job searches. It recognizes the need for social networking, and will keep your LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, etc information on its site. It also knows that you’ll want to update your resume and send it to as many companies as possible. Check. They even have tutotials available to help strengthen and narrow your search. And it’s all free.
Sitting down with Ingboo co-founders Furkan Khan and Rikard Kjellberg (the company’s name is a mix of Rikard’s parents’ names), you get the feeling that, although a touch older than Gen Y, they understand what young people are looking for with a job search: They want as many Web sources as possible, but don’t necessarily want to spend a lot of time keeping up with seperate websites. Ingboo lets you do it all from one place. “Think of it as a job bulletin board,” says Khan. “One place for everything, because you don’t just have to be the best candidate, you have to be first.”
With unemployment still rising, and not everyone able to run into the right person at the coffee shop or elementary school, the Web is as powerful a tool as it’s ever been when it comes to your job search. That makes sense. It also makes sense that at least one website helps you save time, and consolidate information.
Do you social network in your job search? Let Scott know on Twitter: @scottbudman
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