How Has the Internet Changed Job Searching? Some Interesting Facts

The World Wide Web and the Internet

Of all the things that one can count as being a changing force in the way society does things, one must put the introduction of the Internet at the top of the list. The invention of the Internet - a medium with beginnings back in the 1960s - has made just about everything people do now seem quicker and more at hand than they could ever think possible.

From speaking with family in different countries to meeting different people from around the world to even watching television and movies straight from a website and through a computer monitor, the Internet has made a lot of things thought impossible possible. One of those important switches from the real world to that of the online world is the way people search for jobs. With the world coming out of an economic crisis, the ability to search for employment opportunities from one city to another or even in another country or state has made the job market readily available to everyone around the world.

So how has the Internet changed job searching? In this article, learn how we went from word of mouth to emailing companies.

How the Internet Changed Job Searching

In ancient times - that is, the time before the Internet came along - those looking for work read newspapers or took an afternoon walk and hoped to go by an office that might have a ‘Help Wanted’ sign in the window. More often than not, the jobs available weren’t much and those businesses that were hiring might not have an ad in the paper.

There was also the possibility that a family member or friend had an opening at their current job that might (or might not) be suited for

them. And of course there were career fairs, in which prospective employers, companies, and businesses introduced themselves to the public at large and hoped that in the sea of people that came they would find that one individual they needed for their desired position. These combinations would eventually garner results, though for those looking to go into a certain career, the results may have varied.

Then came the Internet - a connection of networks that span the entire world, with people in different cities, states, and countries all having the ability to not only talk to each other, but allowing them to post their open positions online. Job boards such as Career Builder, Hot Jobs, and Monster allow for both employers and employees to post, respond, and view available positions that have opened within a company, or for companies, available employees who are looking. For those looking for specific jobs (like those in healthcare or technology), there are sites like Dice and Media Bistro that cater to those searchers who are looking for a certain type of position.

This isn’t to say that earlier methods of finding jobs (newspapers, word of mouth, etc) are extinct; in fact, these methods have been expanded. For instance, say someone is looking to find a job in another city or state; previously, they might have had to spend money for delivery or needed to drive there in order to get the local paper. With the Internet, many of the local papers are in both newsprint and computerized form, allowing out of state residents to view and search for jobs. This makes it easier for those thinking about transitioning from one city to another.

The same is true for those looking for employment once they have left college. Many universities and colleges have career counseling centers, but for a lot of long distance or online students, the online options for these centers allows them to get career help even when not in the city, state, or country of their school.

The Internet has changed the way people not only look for jobs, but jobs in themselves. Many jobs can be done via telecommuting; meaning that an employee doesn’t even need to leave home in order to be at work. And with social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn there are more possibilities than ever for those searching for a job.

Image content @ Morgue File