Have you been browsing a job search site lately?  Unfortunately many people are having to browse these sites lately, all looking for work in this very poor economy.  The competition for any jobs posted will of course be fierce, so it’s important to have any advantage in today’s market that you possibly can have.  While of course most are there at those sites to search the job listings and to apply for any jobs they may find, there are many other things you can find offered through a job search site which may help you in your job search.  What are we talking about?

If you check out virtually any job search site you may find that there is usually a wealth of articles posted about how to conduct your job search.  They may have pointers on how to update your resume and how to handle today’s job interviews.  For instance you may not be familiar with behavioral or situational interviews but these are actually very common in today’s world of human resources.  The questions are quite different than perhaps what you’ve been accustomed to and a good job search site will give you examples of what those questions are and how to handle them as well.  For instance, interviewers today might pose a potential situation and ask how you would handle it.  The question might revolve around a problem customer or a dispute between coworkers or something that might come up during a team assignment.  By asking how you would handle this type of thing, the interviewer gets an idea for how you think and reason.  But unfortunately many people aren’t expecting these types of questions and get caught off-guard.  However a good job search site will outline these potential questions so that you can give them some thought and prepare in advance and then handle the interview much more effectively.

Sometimes a job search site will comment about trends in certain industries so that you can see where the job market is headed.  They may also talk about certain areas or cities that are experiencing job growth in some industries.  This too can help in your job search.  If you know that your skills and experience can be better used in a different state or city, you can seriously consider a move to this area.  A good job search site can also usually answer questions you might have about moving for a job, such as what expenses of the move are tax deductible, how to relocate your family, and so on.

A good job search site is much more than a board listing job openings.  It should help you with every aspect of changing positions and careers, from finding the job to the interview, your resume, your appearance, and the transition period itself.  Consider your job search site as being yet another weapon in your arsenal when it comes to the entire process involved in changing jobs or careers.