Should you post your resume to an online resume bank such as Monster or Workopolis?
What are the benefits of online resume banks?
These resume banks provide thousands of employers access to your information. At the best of times, this is an ideal situation because it allows employers and job candidates an easy way to connect.
You might want to do some research to establish if employers in your field use online resume banks. If so, it wouldn’t hurt to post your resume.
What are the drawbacks of online resume banks?
With an online resume bank, you are not able to specify your objective and focus your resume at one particular job. This means that you don’t have the same competitive edge that you have with a paper resume or one written specifically for a posted job.
Posting your resume to a resume bank takes time.
What questions should I ask about a resume bank?
Find out if employers in your field check the bank.
Find out the level of expertise of people on the resume bank: you want to apply to a resume bank filled with qualified people so that the bank will be searched more.
See if there are any specialized resume banks in your field.
Establish the amount of traffic at the resume bank: higher traffic means more job opportunities.
Read the confidentiality agreement. If you do not feel comfortable putting your information on the internet, perhaps online resume banks are not the choice for you. The other option is to exclude your address and perhaps your home phone number on the resume you post. Be sure to include a cell number and email so you are easily reachable.
If you apply to an online resume bank
Remember, this type of job application is not like the directed resume-for-a-specific job application. You cannot rely on electronic job banks to get you the perfect job you want. Even if you apply to job banks, be sure to also apply to specific positions at specific companies. Taking both approaches will heighten your chance of getting the job you want.