Recruiting. Staffing. Consulting.

The near total adoption of website recruiting by corporate America indicates that the Internet has become the accepted medium in which to attract and hire new talent. A recent survey by iLogos Research, a leading human resources research organization, has found that 94 percent of Fortune 500 companies have corporate career websites. As more and more companies fall in-line and deploy sections on their websites dedicated to recruiting, job seekers are presented with both an opportunity and a challenge. The rules for searching and applying for jobs has changed, especially if you haven't been active in the job market for some time. I hope this article provides some insight into these changes and gives you some ideas on how to better position yourself in the job market.

Recruiting Management Systems
Companies are now using web-based recruiting management systems to simplify and control the hiring process. An RMS automates, tracks and reports on the entire hiring process to efficiently and accurately recruit, screen and qualify candidates. Web-based recruitment management systems drive down the costs of hiring by providing tools for recruiters, hiring managers and staffing agencies to increase the rate at which candidates move through the hiring process.

Why should you, as a job seeker, need to understand what an RMS is and how it works? The answer is simple, if you want to apply for a job in today's economy, having a comfort level with these systems is a must. Most corporate career sites are nothing more than the public or applicant (your) side of a web-based recruiting management system. Through an RMS, a corporate career site has a place for job postings and a set of online tools for applicants to apply for these open positions by posting resumes and cover letters online. More advanced systems even allow job seekers to save resumes and receive notifications when jobs matching their skill set or interests become available.

These systems are all automated, so make sure you fill your resume with the key words and terms used in the job requisition. Many of these systems search for applicants by screening for key words like "java developer" or "investor relations." If you fail to have the right key words in your resume, you may be screened out. Keep this in mind before you submit the same resume and cover letter over and over to multiple companies. A few minutes of research up front could be the difference between an interview, a thank you letter or no response at all.

Paper vs. Electronic Resumes
With the widespread adoption of recruiting management systems, paper resumes are becoming obsolete. As stated above, companies are deploying recruiting management systems to reduce costs. By using their websites to collect applicant information, including resumes and cover letters, the cost associated with handling and processing hard copy resumes goes away. Some companies will not even accept paper resumes anymore. Siemens Corporation, the U.S. holding company for the German electronics and electrical engineering group Siemens AG, only accepts hard copy resumes if the applicant has no Internet access and resides more than 30 miles from a public library.

Siemens isn't the only company. Most Fortune 1000 companies have followed suit. Even Cary-based SAS prefers not to accept hard copy resumes and it's a good thing they don't. The popular CBS news show 60 Minutes reported that after airing a piece on SAS and its corporate culture, SAS received more than 15,000 resumes through its corporate career site. Could you imagine the expense of processing 15,000 resumes?

Job Boards, Newspapers and Recruiting Sites
Newspapers are no longer the only game in town for companies looking to find qualified applicants. Companies now use their own website first when posting open positions, lowering costs and allowing them to simultaneously brand their company with their open positions. After using their own career site, companies look to job boards and other websites, often provided by staffing and recruiting firms, to get the word out about candidates. Companies still use the newspaper but using the Internet as the primary vehicle for recruiting applicants is becoming more and more prevalent.

So what's a job board? By now we are all familiar with Monster, the world's largest job board. However Monster isn't the only one, other boards include: FlipDog, Hot Jobs, Careerbuilder and a host of industry-specific boards such as Talent Zoo. Job seekers should use all of them and all of the tools these sites provide. Remember to keep your resume and cover letter updated as your experience and skills progress. If you prefer to keep your search discreet then use the confidentially option on many of these sites and check often for updates and use the agent function to automatically notify you of new jobs that might fit your skills or be of interest to you.

Recruiting sites work in a similar fashion to corporate career sites. Recruiting firms' websites are a largely untapped resource for job seekers. Most firms keep an updated list of open positions on their site representing every industry and job their clients are looking to fill. Register with these sites and return to them often as they are updated frequently.

Some Things Never Change
Despite the advances in technology, the virtual extinction of hard copy resumes and the emergence of job boards, some basic job searching techniques remain true. I've called-out a few below.

Networking
This is by far the most powerful job searching tool available, and fortunately the Triangle offers a variety of networking opportunities for almost every industry and job type. Developing relationships with others in your profession is important whether you are looking for a job or not.

Personal Touch
It is important to elevate yourself from the computer screen. Sending cover letters and your resume through email to recruiters in addition to submitting them online is not a bad idea. If you get an interview, be sure to send a thank you note whether it's by email or regular mail is up to you. Either way, establishing a basic relationship with the hiring manager and recruiter at the company you wish to work for can pay dividends now and in the future.

Search Firms
Many people fail to use search firms during their job search. I don't think relying solely on a search firm is a good practice but adding their skills and contacts to your own can't hurt. A reputable search firm can be one of your best allies so don't be afraid to use them. Make sure you take advantage of their websites as mentioned above to see any job openings there may be available through the search firm's clients.

In closing, remember that technology is always changing. The processes we use today may be obsolete tomorrow. Don't be surprised when resumes have audio and video capabilities. Sounds far fetched today but so did online recruiting and job boards ten years ago. I hope this short walk through the world of online recruiting offers some insight on how today's hiring process works and that some of the points made herein will help you in the future.

Craig Stone is the founder and chief executive officer of HireNetworks, a Raleigh-based executive search, recruiting, staffing and human resources consulting firm. He can be reached at cstone@hirenet-works.com.