In the age of electronics, job-seekers have to keep up. And right now, that means going online with job banks and World Wide Web pages as well as using the University's resorces.
Within the past two years, Internet job banks have been growing in number. The sites feature job postings and online tips on resume-writing and how to prepare for an interview. Some are also divided into employer and student sections so that companies may contact sites to post vacancies.
Kevin Boyer, executive director of the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students Inc., said the company has compiled an online guide to 500 employers with Web sites.
University job placement services usually require students to enter their profiles into a database. This information is distributed to potential employers and also used in scheduling interviews. The University's Career Placement & Planning center also has its own Web page at http://www. umich.edu/~cpp.
Technical employers often use the Internet as the first phase of hiring.
"Some technical companies with positions only post on the Web because they don't want to deal with people who don't have that technical potential," Boyer said.
Web pages also give students a chance to check out companies they have in mind.
"Many companies have a 'job opportunities' section on their Web page, so I can let any recruiter know that I'm interested in something particular," said LSA senior Greg McDonald.
Corporate Web sites often provide detailed information.
"I don't really use the Internet to look for potential companies to interview with, as much as I use it to do research on the companies I am planning to interview with," said Engineering senior Quintin Burns.
Some say an advantage to the Internet is that it often provides more up-to-date information than books can.
"Any job search should involve a number of components," said Eve Yohalem, president of Student Center.com, a career site. "If you're just doing one, you're cutting yourself short."
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