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Packaging Horizons
Online Job Banks: Securing Your Future
While not yet a replacement for the tried-and-true classifieds, online job hunting is a highly targeted alternative.
By Jamie Heckelman
Used to be, the Sunday newspaper was the best resource for searching for a new job. Sitting with a cup of coffee, you could spend hours poring over columns of job listings. Today, however, if you wait for Sunday, you may be out of luck--and out of the best jobs. More often companies are using online job postings as a way to recruit new employees and to educate prospective employees about the nature of their businesses.
Just ask Donna Barsamian, the former director of marketing for Universal Folding Box. She finds electronic job searching to be a powerful tool; one, in fact, that helped her land a prior position. "Accessing the information was user-friendly and there was instant exchange of information through e-mail," says Barsamian.
Despite its speed, accessibility and ease of use, the internet does not signal the demise of such traditional job search vehicles as the Sunday classifieds. Rather, the two work together, providing employers and employees alike with complementary features. In fact, most major newspapers have expanded their classified sections to include an online feature. "The internet will likely never replace print," says Rob Yoegel, online coordinator and editor for North American Publishing Company in Philadelphia, who adds that the web does provide instant access to job information.
Quick-click
That instant access has proven to be a valuable tool for many human resource professionals seeking top-quality candidates to fill key positions. Richard Kelman, human resources manager for Stone Container Corp., views the internet as another avenue for reaching prospective new hires. "Today, you have to be quick in responding to the needs of job seekers," he says. "If I am interested in a qualified candidate, I have to get to him fast. Online job posting helps me do that." For example, within hours of electronically posting a recent job opening, Kelman had 10 qualified applicants.
A key component of the Internet is that it attracts both active and passive job seekers. "Many people out there are just exploring. They come across a posting and business description and think to themselves, 'Oh, I'd like to work for that company,'" explains Kelman.
Kelman has posted job openings on Packaging Career Hotline Online and The Monster Board for a plant accountant, packaging designer, production scheduler and sales representative. Generally, his online job postings include a couple of paragraphs describing Stone Container and explaining what the company does, as well as what and where the job is. The internet provides businesses the luxury of space and time at an affordable price to develop an appropriate company profile and a well-defined job description.
One of the benefits of using Packaging Career Hotline Online, adds Kelman, is that it connects him directly with his target audience. "With it, I avoid a lot of preliminary conversations about the business," he explains.
Kurt Nyberg, southern regional sales manager, Berry Plastics Corp., Container Division in Dallas, recently received 15 qualified responses to his posting on the Packaging Career Hotline Online.
Not all that glitters is gold
One of the great features of posting jobs online, however, is also one of its downfalls: its immediate accessibility. A job placed on the internet remains posted for a certain amount of time, generally 30 to 60 days. This allows the advertisement to reach a wide audience over a long period of time, making it easy and convenient for searchers to access information any time of the day or night. However, it doesn't guarantee the position's availability throughout the period it's posted.
In addition, employers have to be prepared for a variety of responses to online job postings that have arrived via links to other sites. "With the Internet, the user can search with many fields, so you get more hits," says Deborah Key, manager of employment for Hunt-Wesson in Fullerton, CA. However, she says you also get a lot of junk, so be specific with your ad.
At times, Kelman says it is difficult for him to pinpoint exactly from where a candidate came, as large sites, such as The Monster Board, are linked to various search engines where job information can be accessed from other sites. He recommends to anyone replying to an online job posting to clearly state where the job listing was found.
Jamie Heckelman is the managing editor of Packaging Horizons Magazine.
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