Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash
There’s a hidden job market. Many of the best job openings aren’t advertised. So it behooves you to be strategic to create or uncover secret opportunities with Google Alerts.
With Google Alerts, you can get an inside track for the best job — by monitoring any and all details that are important for your goals.
Think of it as a tool to find out what’s happening in almost real-time — round-the-clock — relevant marketplace information you’ll find useful.
It’s a tool you can’t afford not to use.
If you’ve never used Google Alerts, they’re tools to get vital information on topics and trends that you request.
You can choose to get analysis and alerts on companies, industries, people, products and news-making viewpoints of employers in the private sector.
You can do the same with the public sector.
You can get information about agencies, charities, organizations and people.
Here are six Google Alert tips:
1. How to get started
Go to the Google Alerts home page, https://www.google.com/alerts. Enter your topic as you would in any Internet search. If a name is two or more words, you can insert them in quotation marks. To arrange for alerts with multiple related topics, insert the word, OR, in caps.
You can specify the source filters, such as press release, blogs, news or social media. Google will let you determine the frequency of the alerts, and how you want them to be delivered — either e-mail or RSS feeds.
Keep your requests succinct. Choose wisely. You’ll be allowed as many as 1,000 alerts, buy that might not be a lot in this lackluster economy.
2. Employers
Identify the employers for which you’d like to work. You’ll get useful information; even analysis from analysts evaluating companies’ profits and losses.
For instance, if a company has good profits and is planning to expand, you’ll get a head start on your competition and you’ll be able to apply for a job armed with the most knowledgeable information.
On the other hand, if you’re interested in a company suddenly hit by bad news, perhaps you’re a salesperson who can generate income or a public relations professional who can deliver great PR.
3. Geography
You can obtain late-breaking news about businesses in different regions and locales. For example, if your spouse just got a promotion to the Pacific Northwest, you can use Google Alerts for your own job search to where your family is moving.
Think of it as a tool to find out what’s happening in almost real-time — round-the-clock — relevant marketplace information you’ll find useful.
4. Persons
OK, it’s possible to use your LinkedIn account to read about people. However, many successful people aren’t active on LinkedIn. (Personally, none of my CEO clients have had LinkedIn accounts.)
Even if senior executive do use LinkedIn, it isn’t easy to check on them if they’re out of your network. So you need an insurance policy. And Google Alerts delivers late-breaking developments about such folks directly to your computer.
If you decide to contact a person, don’t do so informally via e-mail. Use your own monarch size stationery via snail mail.
5. Shameless self promotion
If you use Google to monitor job opportunities, conversely, you can use it to promote yourself. You should have a strong online presence. But Google your name and arrange for a Google Alert for your name. In this way, you can monitor your reputation and gauge how to make any improvements.
6. Prep for interviews
Knowledge about an employer is power for your interviews. The more you learn from Google Alerts, the better your chances for an interview and success in being hired. Interviewers love knowing you’ve done your homework.
From the Coach’s Corner, more job-searching tips:
7 Tips to Tweet Your Way to a Great New Job – Seriously — Surprise! If you play it smart you can take advantage of the 500 million Twitter account holders to get a new job or career. Really, it’s true.
Guidelines for an Effective CV to Land Your Ideal Job — If you’re pursuing a career in academia or research, you know a curriculum vitae (CV) is a basic requirement to get consideration for a position. It’s also applicable when applying for fellowships or grants. Here are best practices for a CV.
Career Advice — An Alternative to Applying for Jobs Online — As a job-hunter you know that a significant number of companies, nonprofits and public-sector agencies use an online tracking system to accept applications and screen out applicants. It cuts down on their paper work and saves them time.
5 Tips to Shine in Your Online Job Application — To sail through the human resources filtering system, here are five online-application tips: 1. Put social media to work for you. Make certain your social media – Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter – are current, professional and show maturity. Be careful what you publish – always keep in mind your career goals.
Increase Your Job Chances if You Have to Interview on the Phone — Face time, of course, is best if you’re interviewing for a job. However, headhunters and many companies schedule introductory telephone interviews. Pat yourself on the back. Even if it’s not an in-person meeting, a telephone interview is a good omen. The employer already thinks enough of you to schedule a discussion.
Job Hunting? Tips to Land Your Dream Job with Style, Substance — Yes, the competition for jobs is ferocious. Here are proven tips to be hired for your dream job.
“Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell ‘em, ‘Certainly I can!’ Then get busy and find out how to do it.”
-Theodore Roosevelt
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