Do you know how to safely post a resume online?

Although posting an online résumé is a good way to attract attention, actively job searching will increase your possibilities. Networking is a vital part of the active search. This allows for inside knowledge of openings. Talk to your friends, family, past and current colleagues, and alumni through Career Connection to actively promote your availability. Participate in clubs, internships, and volunteer positions in order to increase your network. Take advantage of Career Services: have your résumé reviewed, attend job fairs, and peruse JobShop.

If you still want to post your résumé online while actively searching, here are some safety tips:

Step One: Research job sites and choose the one that best fits your needs.
First of all, don’t post on every job site in hopes that more people will see your résumé. This will look desperate and/or indecisive. Besides, some sites are geared specifically toward certain fields. Next, make sure to read privacy policies; sites that offer to “blast” or sell your résumé should immediately be crossed off your list of potentials. Any sites that ask for social security numbers or bank information can be ruled out as well. Furthermore, don’t trust a site that asks for information prior to looking at the possible job openings.

Step Two: Replace convenience with safety.
Create a new e-mail address that is professional, but not connected to personal information. For example, AOL users have profiles including their personal information, whereas Hotmail or Yahoo do not. This not only helps to protect your identity, it may also prevent the employers from learning too much about you, such as political or religious views. Also, remove any other contact information before posting. This may be inconvenient for the employer, but safety is more important and will hopefully be seen as cautious rather than careless. If you are currently employed but searching for something new, you might also modify your employment history. For example, tweak your existing job title and place of employment to be more generic: “major cable provider” instead of Time Warner Cable. This will protect your current job and, again, protect from identity theft.

If right now you’re thinking that these steps seem unnecessary, consider that although employers have to pay some sites to see your résumé, once it is downloaded onto their computers, they can do whatever they want with it. This should not deter you from using online résumé sites because they could be phenomenal for your job search; however, it is important to know and something people don’t always think about.

Step Three: Regulate your résumé over time.
Update your résumé biweekly. This will ensure that it continues to show up at the top of the list. Furthermore, if you have no responses after two months, the site is clearly not beneficial for you and a different site may yield better results. (Or, perhaps your career field may not advertise openings online as these positions are mostly technology-based.) Finally, delete all résumés you have posted online when your job search is over. Your new employer would not be happy if they saw your résumé still attracting offers online!