Hunting online no longer guarantees a job
Published: 15 Aug 2003 11:15 BST
Maybe it's time to starting reading the newspaper job section, posting CVs, and making friends in right places again.
So many job seekers are now using the Internet to apply for work that it has become less effective than traditional methods, according to a new study from the University of Washington.
The findings will be presented on Tuesday 19 August at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association in Atlanta by Christine Fountain, a doctoral student.
It has become so easy for applicants to email a Web resume or apply through an online job site these days, said Fountain.
"Employers are becoming overwhelmed by a glut of resumes from applicants… and as the number of applications increase, the more employers may need to rely on recommendations from people who know applicants," said Fountain.
Anecdotal evidence also suggested that Internet applications seem to work better for entry-level and temp jobs, but for higher-level employment, it's who you know that counts.
"As employers continue to get huge stacks of job applicants, personal recommendations become more important as a way to distinguish between potential employees," she said.
A group of 650 unemployed persons were tracked. In the first batch of those who reported being unemployed in August 1998, those who used the Internet were three percent more likely to find a job within three months than those who did not.
Internet usage lower was in 1998, suggesting that the applicant was tech-savvy, she said.
However, among the second group who reported being out of work in December 2000, those who used the Internet were three percent less likely to have found a job in three months than non-users.
The differences are small, yet statistically significant, she said.
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