These Days You Need The Net To Fish For Jobs
The Age
Monday March 24, 2003
Internet recruitment has taken off so dramatically in Australia that jobseekers often have no choice but to search online.
The days of printed resumes are numbered, with some companies insisting that candidates fill in online application forms or send resumes by email.
To cope with electronic applications, software is being developed to eliminate applicants and arrive at short lists without the recruitment manager viewing even one resume.
The new format is forcing jobseekers to devise ways to be noticed, such as submitting a video in which they talk about themselves.
But the ease of sending resumes by email has raised concerns that job search efforts are being hampered because recruiters are inundated with irrelevant applications.
In a recent survey of 5000 managers in the United States, 71 per cent said most resumes for jobs posted online did not match the job descriptions.
Paul Bassat, chief executive of Seek Communications, says that is no big problem in Australia - companies here are happy with the speed and low cost of internet recruitment.
The seek.com.au website claims more than 50 per cent of the internet job ad market.
It is used by about 850,000 individuals who, on average, connect with the website three times a month. Three years ago the number of visitors averaged 100,000.
Mr Bassat says internet recruiting is happening at all levels of the job market.
Even firms seeking senior executives on packages of up to $300,000 have taken to the website.
© 2003 The Age