Every time we turn on the news, we hear glum economic reports of yet another indicator that the nation is in for rough times, from stock exchange indexes to unemployment numbers. The latter has become a concern for millions of Americans who do not have work or have recently lost work, as the jobs just do not seem to exist. Fortunately, there are still plenty of employment opportunities for just about everybody, but finding that perfect job may be more difficult than it would have been several years ago. There are plenty of ways to look for jobs, but one of the easiest and most rapidly growing methods of doing so involves job search websites. These websites seek to facilitate the process of hunting for jobs by allowing employers to scan user-submitted resumes or to post job openings that would then be pursued by job hunters. Establishing contact with a potential employer is often the most difficult step, making an online venue for doing so very desirable. Here are some of the most popular and widely-used job search websites. photo credit: psd

Without a doubt the most popular job search engine, Monster has come to be well known because of a vigorous advertising campaign, especially the “When I Grow Up” commercial that became famous in 1999. In fact, the website is one of the twenty most-visited websites out of the hundred million that exist. At any time, there are about one million job postings on the website and about 150 million resumes in the databank, while about 63 million job seekers visit the website each month. Monster is surprisingly easy to use as well: from the homepage of the website, you can enter specific keywords to tailor your search, up to twenty different occupations to select from, and the approximate location in which you would want to find a job. This way, you can narrow down your job search to find occupations that would require the least amount of moving around the country. If you find a job that you think would be perfect but you end up having to move, Monster also operates MonsterMoving to provide all of the essential services that one would need to move to the location of the job. Recently, the website had an issue with many users experiencing identity theft due to a flaw in the website’s security, but the problem has been patched up and few problems have been reported since. All in all, Monster features a massive database of job openings and an easy-to-use interface that has the potential to find you the perfect job.

Another enormous database of job openings is CareerBuilder, which is similar to Monster in functionality but contains several interesting and useful features. The website features a highly customizable search engine and you can search in several different ways, such as by the company, the industry, international jobs, and jobs for Spanish speakers. CareerBuilder also features MyCareerBuilder, which allows you to register and enjoy resume posting tools, job search management help, and job recommendations based on your searches and preferences. You can also activate Job Alerts, emails or text messages sent to you whenever job openings are posted that match your criteria so that you may quickly get in touch with the employer should you want to. Another handy feature of CareerBuilder is an extensive Advice & Resources section containing all kinds of useful information for those who are searching for jobs. From sections on Degrees & Certificates, Career Tests, Salary Calculators, and more, there is plenty of information to get your job search off to the best start possible. CareerBuilder is a great website to help you find the ideal job.

Yahoo! HotJobs features a similar interface to the previous two websites, allowing job hunters to enter keywords, select their location, and select a job category to begin their search. The website is free to users seeking jobs and it allows up to ten versions of a resume to be posted and reviewed by potential employers. Users can then see how many times their resumes have been looked at by employers in order to determine whether or not their resume is at all appealing. This can also help the user gauge the strength of whatever job market he or she is a member of. There are also plenty of tools within the site that allow users to calculate ideal salaries, research plans, and employee stock options in order to help the user narrow down his or her idea of the perfect job. Users can also block any of HotJobs’ companies from viewing the applicant’s resume using a feature called “HotBlock,” perfect if the user is receiving too many offers and information from an employer in which the user is uninterested. The website has been voted several times as the best job board on the internet, as well as the most recruiter-friendly job board, meaning that potential employees and employers alike can both use Yahoo! HotJobs to achieve their needs.

Although it is not strictly a job search website, Craigslist has quickly become one of the fastest ways to search for and find jobs. Rather than one overarching website, Craigslist has separate sites devoted to certain cities and regions throughout the world. For example, there is one website that covers all of Wyoming, whereas major metropolitan cities may have their own website. Craigslist is in the form of a newspaper classified ad section, allowing users to post exactly what they need along with their contact information. An entire section of every Craigslist website is devoted to job openings sorted into different categories, so if you wanted a job in education, you would simply click on the link and browse through the available positions. Although the database of available jobs is nowhere near as large as it is on the previously mentioned websites and the positions are more likely to be temporary rather than full-fledged careers, everyone needs to start somewhere.

Perhaps you know you are worth a lot of money and you need a website full of jobs that will earn you what you think you deserve. If that is the case, TheLadders is the perfect website for you. Known for delivering quality over quantity, the website features easy-to-use search functionalities that browse high-quality careers. Of course, the amount of prior experience and training in the field that you will need to successfully find a job on this website is much larger then on the aforementioned websites, it might be the perfect fit if you find yourself without a job but are overqualified for many of the postings you see elsewhere. Although you can join for free and enjoy a basic membership that allows you to search through only $100,000 dollar jobs, you can also pay a certain amount to get access to the full range of job availabilities in order to have a better chance of finding the perfect job. If you are qualified for an executive or senior level job but you do not know where to begin searching for such a post, TheLadders is an excellent place to start.