6 Things You Can Learn From Job Boards

6 Things You Can Learn From Job Boards 6 Things You Can Learn From Job Boards Perhaps the most common thing people do when commencing a job search is go online to a job board like Monster, CareerBuilder or Indeed, find jobs of interest and submit a resume â€" over and over again.For some lucky people, this is all it takes. But for most of us, this activity becomes an incredible time sink without a payoff. Even worse, many people don't go beyond this activity and still believe that they are doing all that they should to obtain their next job![See: 8 Things That Are More Productive Than Staring at a Job Board.]"What we hear from consumers consistently is that the Internet is a black hole and that they don't get a lot of information back. So what we are trying to do is get them information on who is looking at their resume, and in what context are they looking at their resume so they have some sense of what is going on," says Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder.He emphasized that the role of CareerBuilder today is more than simply to post jobs. He emphasizes Care erBuilder's function is multifaceted, and that "to help people find jobs today, we try to provide them data and insights about the skills and jobs of the future, and with Capella we actually do reskilling and help them by providing skills so they can get the jobs of the future."Job boards like CareerBuilder, Monster and Indeed often serve as the front end of company recruitment and candidate vetting processes. However, just because companies may want you to use these vehicles to submit your resume to them, you have other options of how to view and utilize the ads you'll see.Here are some things you can do on job boards to advance your search, without even applying for a job.Find Opportunities. The first and most obvious thing job boards are good for is finding relevant jobs for you. Type in your search terms such as job title, and your location, etc. But then, hold off. Don't just hit the "submit your resume" button.Learn Salary Ranges. Often job sites are doing better than previous ly in conveying a realistic range to set your expectations of how much any given job is likely to pay. Be careful not to look at just one job! Look at the same kind and level of position for multiple employers and see what an overall range in the marketplace actually might be. Take a cue for your resume. Don't make an employer guess or surmise that you might have what they need. Most often they are quite up front about it in their job description and its requirements. And when you've got it, as the old commercial says, flaunt it![See: 10 Items to Banish From Your Resume.]For example, an ad for a junior level accountant included this bullet in its requirements section: "Maintains general ledger accounts by reconciling accounts receivable detail and control accounts; adjusting entries for amortizations …"Assuming you have these skills, a careful read of the ad should give you the idea to list this in your resume's skills section: Accounts Reconciliation, General Ledger Reconciliatio n, General Ledger and Entry Adjustments.And then, in your bullets describing different positions you've held, you'll want to exemplify what your specific accomplishments are in each of these areas.Determine the skills gap between what you have and what an employer seeks. Perhaps you are investigating a new direction for your career, or how to advance to the next level of what you are currently doing. It's worth carefully examining the skills required for what you want to do next. Compare what employers are demanding and what you can legitimately provide, and use the insight you gain to figure out what you need to do to become a truly desirable and well-qualified candidate. Maybe you'll need a new degree, or perhaps some courses by Capella, Udemy, Corseara or other sites that can provide a shortcut for your success. Regardless, think about how you can best fill whatever skills gap may exist.Learn who is looking at your resume. If you do post your resume on either LinkedIn or CareerBu ilder, you can see who is looking at your profile or resume. It won't take much detective work to look up those people on LinkedIn and possibly arrange for them to introduce you to the hiring manager.Learn what others find attractive in your resume. CareerBuilder is also rolling out a feature that will let you see what terms someone searches that bring your resume to the fore for viewing. This can be valuable even in your initial phone interview, as well as further on down the line as you plan what successes you want to highlight or skills you'll be questioned about in the interview process.[See: 10 Things Your Mom Didn't Teach You About Job Searching.]When you step back, you'll see that a job ad can be far more than just an announcement of an available position. It can arm you with valuable knowledge and insights as you go about the task of advancing your own career.Happy hunting!