CareerBuilder.com is the largest online job website in the United States.
Their goal is to help employers find people to hire. As part of this, they also have lots of helpful tips for those seeking jobs. There are a number of articles and videos on CareerBuilder.com and the other websites that they operate to help job seekers most effectively find and get a job.
After reading just a small part of the articles they have on the website, I’ve been able to find many helpful bit of information:
- There are a number of articles on interviews, which come with just about any job on the planet. Of particular interest was an article entitled “7 Questions That Make Interviewers Cringe.” Questions about things like sick days and vacation days may seem innocent enough, but can actually cause the interviewer to question the candidate’s work ethic. I had heard the first one (What does the company do?) before, but it’s another good reminder to be prepared for something as important as a job interview.
- On the article “4 Ways to Get a Hiring Manager’s Attention,” I found the first point extremely interesting. It’s called “Become an Expert,” and it talks about becoming an expert on a topic related to your field by simply participating. Commenting on blogs in your field and writing articles allows you to gain experience and make a name for yourself outside of your work history. It’s about the practical, personal experience gained.
- Another article that appealed to me is “6 Ways to Get the Job When You’re Not the ‘Ideal’ Candidate.” Obviously, there will be times when I’m not the ideal candidate for a job. There may even be times where I’m not the ideal candidate for a class in school (I know there will be some classes that I’ll find very difficult in college). Fortunately, I don’t always have to worry about that. The main thing I got out of that article was honesty. It talks about being honest (not trying to cover up inadequacies) and giving good reasons why they should hire me.
- One that is particularly relevant to me with this website is “Why Blogging Is Good For Your Career.” I intend to have a blog on this website and so this article came at just the right time (as I was doing the initial setup for the website). The first thing I learned was to not really worry about just being another small blog in an overpopulated sea of blogs. People may still value what I have to say, and if I make earnest efforts at making it high-quality, over time my readership may grow. (It’s also an excellent addition to a résumé.)
- The second main point I got from the article about blogging is how to present it to an employer. There are many ways, but one is to make it a differentiation point between yourself and other candidates. Showing that you have the ability to help introduce a company to a new and loyal audience can really set one apart from the crowd. It’s like a little “bonus” attribute.
Unfortunately, I was only able to skim the surface of the content on CareerBuilder.com because there are so many articles on their site. It’s a smorgasbord of content, almost all of it helpful and relevant to anyone seeking to build a career. CareerBuilder is definitely worth looking at regularly.