"Using the Internet for Your Job Search" -- Part II: Finding Jobs

Counseling Today
Career Center
September 2006

Last month, this column examined the use of Internet resources in searching for a job, concluding that, while the Internet can be an excellent research tool, it is not a resource that should be relied upon to the exclusion of all others.? In Part II of "Using the Internet for Your Job Search," we will examine strategies to identify counseling jobs.

There are many on-line sites that promise lots of job listings and deliver the numbers to support their claims.? The problem is finding appropriate job listings.? Usually, a keyword search yields the best matches, but it is important to use the RIGHT keywords.

As an experiment for this article, I used the keyword "counselor" to search two of the best-known on-line job boards.? The first search returned 160 pages of hits, but most of the positions listed on the first page were "sales counselors" for a national weight loss chain.? The second board yielded similar results, with many sales representative positions masquerading as "counselors" of one sort or another.

Using the keyword "counseling" also produced voluminous results, but, at least on the first site, the top entries seemed to be more appropriate to the profession.? Still, plenty of unrelated positions surfaced.

"Mental health," "mental health counselor," "therapist," and "LPC" were used as keywords in subsequent searches.? Predictably, "therapist" pulled occupational and physical therapist positions to the top of the lists on both sites, but still yielded large numbers of positions.? "Mental Health Counselor" (without quotation marks) produced mostly relevant listings (8 pp. and 26 positions, respectively), but eliminated a number of appropriate positions.

Overall, "LPC" pulled the greatest number of relevant listings (27 pages and 118 jobs, respectively), but searching with this term has its own inherent problems.? On close examination, LPC was a proprietary acronym for one organization that was completely unrelated to the profession.? The bigger issue, though, is that "LPC" is not the preferred term for licensed counselors in all states.? This is a particularly cogent point for candidates who are conducting a national search.? One implication is that national organizations targeting candidates in a specific territory may advertise for the "wrong" license, and when they do, candidates who are searching for the "right" license may not find the position.

Related to this is that counselors may not be specified in job titles of positions that are appropriate for the profession.? One issue that members of ACA's Professional Affairs team have noted as we've explored on-line resources is that many positions that are listed when searching for "LPC" have a job title that doesn't include the word "counselor."

So, what strategies should you employ, given this information?

Search with a number of different keywords or keyword combinations.? You may need to experiment to find the right combination of words or phrases that targets positions that would be the best fit for you.

Look at more than one Big Board site.? It's unlikely that every job will be posted on every board, given limited advertising budgets.? And don't limit yourself to the BIG boards.? There are plenty of smaller sites with job postings that may be more relevant.? (ACA, for example, posts counseling positions that are advertised in Counseling Today online, and there are always some advertisers who choose to do an online-only posting.)

Don't unwittingly eliminate great opportunities.? If you are too narrow in your focus, you may miss the "perfect" position.?

Read job descriptions.? What are some common requirements?? Is there anything new that you are seeing consistently?? If you have special skills that qualify you for this, make sure these skills are specified on your resume.?

Ignore the job title?.if the job description is appropriate for your search.? Just because a job is titled "Social Worker" doesn't mean a counselor isn't qualified or shouldn't apply.? Advocate for the profession by applying and educating the human resources professionals who put the advertisement together about the training and qualifications of professional counselors.

Look for trends.? Who is hiring?? What positions have they advertised?? What special skills are they seeking?? Note names, addresses and phone numbers of hiring authorities in organizations that are advertising positions, even if they aren't currently seeking individuals with your qualifications.? These are excellent contacts for information interviews and networking meetings!

Next month, we'll take a look at on-line resumes and applications.? In the meantime, if you have a question, my e-mail box is always open!

Amy Reece Connelly is ACA's manager of Career Services.? You may contact her via e-mail at acacareers@counseling.org. ? Telephone consultation is available to ACA members on request.