How to Search for Jobs on HotJobs

HotJobs is one of the most popular job portals in the United States. Recently acquired by Yahoo!, HotJobs offers a comprehensive listing of jobs in the United States and many other countries. Here's how you can search for jobs on HotJobs.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Basic Search from the Homepage

1. Go to the HotJobs Web site.

2. The homepage, just below the company logo shows "Search For Jobs Across The Web" section, the basic search feature of HotJobs. Enter the desired search terms in the "Keyword(s)" field.

3. Enter name of the desired city and state in the "City and State" or "Zip" field. Instead of city and state name, you can also specify the zip code. Below the "City and State" or "Zip" field, HotJobs shows the "Include Surrounding Cities" checkbox as the default selection to list job opportunities in the area surrounding the specified city. To look at jobs only in the mentioned area and not explore vacancies in nearby places, uncheck the checkbox.

4. Use the "Category" drop-down list to select an appropriate job category. Like the "City and State" or "Zip" field this field is also optional.

5. Click "Search" to view opportunities matching the search criteria. The results page lists all relevant job openings in and around the specified city and state. By default, the site shows only job title, company name, location and date when the posting was uploaded. To view part of the description about listed jobs, click the "Detailed" link located just above job titles. Click the desired jobs for details.

6. Sort vacancies by job title, company name, location or date by clicking on respective links.

7. Narrow down your search with a list of filters provided. Candidates can use these filters to view jobs based on the time elapsed since their posting, location, category, job type, work experience and company. By default, all filters are expanded and you just need to click a link.

Using the Job Search Tab

8. Notice that HotJobs supports a set of tabs and its homepage is essentially the Home tabpage. Next to Home is the "Job Search" tab. Click "Job Search" to access advanced and alternate job search features.

9. Click on any of the four links "Quick Job Search", "Advanced Job Search", "Search Jobs by Company" and "Search International Jobs" on the "Job Search" page. When you click the "Job Search" tab, the site shows contents of "Quick Job Search" by default. This feature is similar to the basic search tool on the homepage. Below the search tool is a list of industries followed by a list of states. Click a suitable industry or state to browse opportunities in that industry or state.

10. Use the "Advanced Job Search" link to focus the search, especially if the basic search yields thousands of listings. The main filters comprising advanced search options are: "Keywords," which allows you to specify keywords in the given text boxes; "Job Category," where you can select up to three relevant job categories from the given drop-down lists; and "Location," where you specify up to two desired locations in the given fields. Enter either the preferred city and state or only the zip code. Retain the selected Include surrounding cities checkbox to view jobs in places near the specified city.

11. Use other filters such as "Minimum Salary." This field is to used to state expected salary and select either of the two yearly or hourly radio buttons to indicate preferred mode of payment. To view only those posts that include details about remuneration, select the "Show Jobs with Salary Information Only" checkbox. The "Experience Level " filter allows you to select the appropriate number of years of work experience you possess; while the"Job Source" option offers access to jobs posted directly by employers, recruiting agencies or both. The "Search Jobs Updated filter provides options from the drop-down list to view jobs posted within the selected number of days.

12. Click "Search" to view opportunities matching the search criteria. When using this tool, remember that all fields are optional. However, entering as much information as you can yield jobs that are more suited to your skill sets. At the same time, be conscious of giving too much information, as excessive details typically do not yield any result.

13. The "Search Jobs By Company" link lets candidates check out opportunities available with specific organizations. Click "Search Jobs By Company" to access an alphabetical list of links each of which takes you to company names beginning with the selected letter. Along with the company name are listed its location, industry type and number of employees. Select a company to have a look at its job vacancies and other information.

14. People wanting to work outside United States can benefit from using the "Search International Jobs" link on the "Job Search" tab. This feature is essentially location specific wherein you need to select the name of country from the "Country" drop-down list. Next, select a city within that country and write one or more keywords. Click "Search" to view relevant job posts. Alternatively, click "Browse Companies with Jobs in this Country" to view a list of companies that have job opportunities in the selected country.

Tips & Warnings

• Sign up to receive email notification about new relevant leads.
• The "Job Search" tabpage gives tips listed to the right of the page. Go through the tips to perform precise searches that bring up relevant jobs.
• Click the "HotJobs Canada" link located in the navigational menu at the bottom of HotJobs page to explore opportunities in Canada.
• Avoid specifying location details if you are open to working anywhere in the United States.