How to Google Yourself Into a Job

How to google yourself into a job

If you are like most job-seekers, you will use the known online techniques to locate a job, namely going to the major or specialist job boards such as SEEK, CareerONE, or job search engines (aggregators) such as CareerJet.

However what most job-seekers don’t do is use one of the most powerful tools available online in which you can locate a job no matter what your location.  It’s Google.  That’s right – Google!  You see Google index’s information available on the web and it is one of the best sources of information about jobs available.  So in this article, I outline how you can use Google so you can quickly locate and obtain your next job.

Create a Google Alert

If you have not heard of the Google Alert service, then it is a service that helps you retrieve information based on your chosen keywords from across the web, including job search sites, news sites and career content sites, including my blog.  With Google Alert, you can set up alerts for key words relating to jobs, such as “reception jobs in Brisbane” or a Google alert for a particular company you are interested in working for.  Google will then automatically deliver this information to your inbox and will send your alerts as soon as it finds a match to your keyword, once daily or once a week (depending on how you want to receive the information).

If you don’t have a Google email account, you will need to register for one, and this service is free.  http://www.google.com/alerts

Use Advanced Google Search Techniques

Most job-seekers, while undertaking a search on Google, will use broad terms such as ‘jobs in Brisbane’ or ‘job search sites’, or ‘Australian job search’.  The problem with such broad searches is that it will take you to the top job-boards, but won’t necessarily locate the specific job you are looking for.

Before I go further, I’ll explain briefly how Google works.  Google uses a spider called Googlebot that scours the web, collects documents and hands them off to an indexing program.   Once a site is indexed, Google uses complex ag.  equations, which are influenced by factors such as page ranking of the websites, title tags, other sites linking into the website, age of the site and user engagement, to hopefully ensure users retrieve the most accurate information on the web.

Sounds complex? – it is.  But all you need to know about Google, is that if you are only using very broad search terms, or search terms used by thousands of job-seekers, it is unlikely that you will locate anything but the highly Google optimised sites that you and hundreds of other job-seekers already know about.  You won’t necessarily find the specific information, or job you are looking for.

So for example, when I used the search terms Australian job search sites, the first two entries I found were as follows:

1. Australian JobSearch – Australia’s largest free online jobs boardAustralian JobSearch – An Australian Government initiative. Search. Google. Custom Search …. Our other websites. VolunteerSearch …https://jobsearch.gov.au/ – 42k – Cached – Similar pages
2. SEEK – Australia’s no. 1 jobs, employment, career and recruitment site SEEK is Australia’s number one jobs site. Search or browse jobs across Australia. … Australia’s #1 job site, as measured by Nielsen/Netratings …www.seek.com.au/ – 45k – Cached – Similar pages

However, if you use a more specific search term that is relevant to your specific requirements, such as ‘Accounting positions in Townsville, Queensland”, you will straight away, get access to dozens of relevant accounting jobs in Townsville, across a variety of job-boards and organisations.  The first two entries from Google are as follows:

1. Accountant job ($80000 – $100000) in Townsville, QLD 4810 …Accountants looking for new & exciting position in Townsville or Northern … Accounting jobs in Townsville, QLD… Hospitality, Travel and Tourism. …mycareer.com.au/jobs/townsville-4810-qld/accounting/other-accounting/6924862+accountant.aspx?style=enhanced&s… – 11 hours ago – Similar pages
2. Accounting jobs in Townsville, Australia – Recruit.netadvertised) Elizabeth Siebel CPA is a CPA Public Practice in Townsville Queensland, providing accounting… From: CareerOne Australia – 7 days 10 hours ago …australia.recruit.net/search-Accounting_in_Townsville-jobs – 84k – Cached – Similar pages

So, if you want your search to be more effective, you need to be far more specific about the search terms that you are using with Google.  You also need to play around with your search terms for the most optimal result, such as using industry abbreviations.

The best way to search on Google is to use the advanced search features on Google.  Most users’ don’t use this feature but it will provide you with a superior and more accurate way of locating your perfect job.

Use Google for job-winning career research

The fantastic thing about Google is that you can use Google to gain access to information about various companies.   If you are applying for a specific job with an organisation, simply log onto their website and gain access to relevant information.  Areas you could review include:

• How the organisation describes and promotes itself, in particular on the recruiting site.
• Overall responsibility of the position, including gathering further information regarding the work area in which the position is located (I run a quick search if the organisation has a search function on the website).
• Relevant publications, including annual reports and any policy statements.

Once you are equipped with this knowledge, then you are in a position to use this information to help shape your cover letter, answer the employer’s requirements within the résumé, as well as provide yourself with a framework for the interview.

You can also get insight into what it’s like to work at a company, by using the search term “working at (name of company inserted)”, using search quotes.  Using this technique, you might find all sorts of interesting information about a company!

For example, I undertook a search on ‘working at Qantas”, and the search results included feedback from Forums on working conditions, MySpace and the Qantas employment hub (not all of the information flattering).

Google yourself

Finally, before you search for a job, make sure you don’t forget to Google your name and check out what comes up about you.  With most recruiters and many employers now searching job candidates online, (and I mean a significant number checking up your online presence), it is important to make sure there is no material posted online, that could make a bad impression, or be detrimental to your job application.

Your online identity can make or break your job search efforts.

Other favourite tools where you can determine how strong your online identity is (the good, bad or indifferent) include:

www.howsociable.com
www.additomatic.com
www.socialmention.com

Once you submit your name these tools will compile results on page from sources across the net, including Google Images, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and WordPress etc.