You've heard about it on the news, and read it in the morning newspaper. People are looking for jobs and the majority of them are turning to the Internet to find them.

I did a search on Google for "job sites." My search returned the top ten of "about 2,690,000." That tells me that thousands of people have realized the potential to capitalize on helping individuals find employment via the Internet. You're thinking, "Cool. Finding a job on the Internet should be a snap." Well, maybe. There a few things you should know before clicking on one of those 2,690,000 possibilities to find a job.

Sharing of Information

Many of the job boards share a common database of information. Working collectively, each individual web site contributes to the database by attracting resume and job posters. In a combined effort, they all benefit from having generated a mass amount of searchable information they can display on their individual sites. The average person does not realize that resume banks and job postings are recycled to possibly several hundred job sites that share in a database. Keep in mind, these sites can range from local and niche job boards to medium and large size companies. "OK," you say. "So, what's the big deal?"

Your Privacy

Do your research. The resume you post on one job site may end up being circulated to several other job boards, all over the Web. Secondly, search engines have what are called "spiders." Spiders scour the Internet gathering data that is made available when someone performs a query on a search engine. Newsgroups and personal web pages are a few of the additional places spiders frequent. The majority of people don't realize that their personal information such as a home address, phone number, e-mail, work history and other personal details are now available to vast numbers of strangers.

What to Research

Posting your resume on the Internet is no different than reviewing the latest edition of Consumer Reports® before purchasing your next computer. Knowledgeable consumers make educated decisions. Before posting your resume on any job site, it is important to review the online Privacy Policy posted on each web site and educate yourself in the practices of their site. Do they sell or share the information they collect about their visitors with third parties? Is their database password protected or available to the general public? Who is allowed access to their database? Do they participate in co-branded sites that share a database? Do you have the option to edit your resume once it is posted? Delete it? Choose only select information to be viewable?

I did a search on Google for "job sites." My search returned the top ten of "about 2,690,000." That tells me that thousands of people have realized the potential to capitalize on helping individuals find employment via the Internet. You're thinking, "Cool. Finding a job on the Internet should be a snap." Well, maybe. There a few things you should know before clicking on one of those 2,690,000 possibilities to find a job.

Sharing of Information

Many of the job boards share a common database of information. Working collectively, each individual web site contributes to the database by attracting resume and job posters. In a combined effort, they all benefit from having generated a mass amount of searchable information they can display on their individual sites. The average person does not realize that resume banks and job postings are recycled to possibly several hundred job sites that share in a database. Keep in mind, these sites can range from local and niche job boards to medium and large size companies. "OK," you say. "So, what's the big deal?"

Your Privacy

Do your research. The resume you post on one job site may end up being circulated to several other job boards, all over the Web. Secondly, search engines have what are called "spiders." Spiders scour the Internet gathering data that is made available when someone performs a query on a search engine. Newsgroups and personal web pages are a few of the additional places spiders frequent. The majority of people don't realize that their personal information such as a home address, phone number, e-mail, work history and other personal details are now available to vast numbers of strangers.

What to Research

Posting your resume on the Internet is no different than reviewing the latest edition of Consumer Reports® before purchasing your next computer. Knowledgeable consumers make educated decisions. Before posting your resume on any job site, it is important to review the online Privacy Policy posted on each web site and educate yourself in the practices of their site. Do they sell or share the information they collect about their visitors with third parties? Is their database password protected or available to the general public? Who is allowed access to their database? Do they participate in co-branded sites that share a database? Do you have the option to edit your resume once it is posted? Delete it? Choose only select information to be viewable? P> You should immediately see red flags if a job site does not have a posted Privacy Policy for you to review - use caution when utilizing their services. The Web is an unparalleled resource to gain employment. The key to successfully locating your next venture is to educate yourself and use it wisely.