Amy Lindgren

Regular readers of this column will remember that I’m not a fan of online job postings, or really anything to do with online job search processes.

This is not a case of being anti-tech, or shaking my fist at the incoming tide of digital systems. I’m actually a pretty big fan of technology, but only when it’s used as a solution. Or, at least, when it doesn’t seem to create more problems than it solves.

Online job boards actually do solve a lot of problems, but mostly for employers. When it comes to candidates — who are my area of interest — my observation is that they don’t benefit nearly as much. In truth, job candidates are sometimes actively harmed, by losing precious time going down rabbit holes or applying to multiple job postings with no response. It can be hard to recoup your momentum and emotional health after too many rounds of fruitless online search.

Even so, job boards do have one tremendous benefit for candidates that would be difficult to replicate elsewhere: They are an amazing fount of information on a huge spectrum of occupations.

Really, where else could you find real-time job descriptions ranging from health care to sales to automotive repair? With this kind of information, candidates can identify career choices, gain an understanding of what certain jobs require, and build lists of desirable employers — to then pursue with more-traditional methods.

Here are three exercises to get you started.

• 1. For career exploration when you already have a short list of career ideas: Start by dividing your list, tackling just one career idea per session. Then, plug that title into a job board search engine until you’ve gathered 20 or so jobs that sound appealing.

As you review the postings, note the commonalities — what are the usual duties and salaries? The requested experience and education? Repeat this step with the other jobs on your list, then compare the results to see which career ideas are rising to the top for you.

• 2. For career exploration when you have no idea what you want to do: In this exercise, you just open a job board and start reading the descriptions. When I do this, I like to use private boards, since they’re less likely to have scam openings. These include state-run job boards, nonprofit boards, and those operated by contract firms such as Robert Half.

• 3. To build an ideal job description for a specific type of work: Suppose you want to do something with communications, perhaps for a nonprofit. Have you thought about what level you want, or what projects you’d enjoy? What about the organization — would you prefer a small shop, or a large corporate-style nonprofit?

By scanning a number of jobs in this area, you can identify what the usual parameters might be, and then decide which of the common tasks would be your favorite. These you can elevate to the top when revising your résumé and reaching out to employers. This keeps the focus where you want it.

To gain the most from these information-gathering exercises, use these tips:

Capture the posting: Job boards aren’t like other websites because the content is constantly disappearing. Rather than bookmarking the page, capture the posting by pasting it into a word processing document.

Note the employer: While these exercises focus on exploring career areas, they also help build a portrait of employers. For example, if certain employers consistently post jobs of interest to you, consider making direct contact to ask for a conversation about upcoming opportunities not yet posted.

Make the leap: Leap of logic, that is. When you see that certain types of employers are posting appealing positions, it’s logical to imagine other employers of the same type might also use people in those roles. Based on this assumption, listing similar employers will give you another group for direct outreach.

Switch to a non-posting job search: Non-posting job search simply means a job search conducted offline, through direct contact with managers at companies you select. This isn’t particularly effective when done as an end-run around a posting that’s already online — in those cases, you’ll want to apply as usual if you want a shot. But directing your outreach to non-advertising employers is actually the most productive method of search. (To refresh yourself on this strategy, look back on the three-part series from this column last month.)

As you can see, online job postings can be your friend — but only when you take the upper hand to get what you need for a customized job search.

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Amy Lindgren owns a career consulting firm in St. Paul. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com.