Internet Job Boards

by Michael Stempler
(Pittsburgh, PA)

This might be an off the wall question to ask on a job board site, but I wonder if the jobs posted on the internet are real. How can I tell a good site from a bad one? I send my resume in to jobs I am qualified for and then never get a response from any companies that are hiring. I think these sites are just gathering resumes and selling them or something. Why don't I hear back when I send my resume?

Michael -

Your suggestion that all job boards are not created equal is a reality of the marketplace. Some boards are better than others. Things you can look for to tell the good from the bad include the following:

1. Are new jobs posted on a daily basis?


2. Does the job board contain a big selection of open positions?


3. Is there original content on the job board that's useful to you in your job search?


4. Can you post your resume on the job board?


5. Can you create a job alert to give you notice of new jobs that meet your criteria?


6. Is your identity protected in the job board's resume database?

Job board technology is expensive. Some sites today are "plugging in" job postings but really don't have any behind the scenes quality control to make sure that the companies who post, and even more importantly, who access their resume databases, are real.

The big players in the market (Monster, CareerBuilder) are generally posting real jobs. Top niche boards, like Top-Sales-Jobs.com post real jobs.


Now...why aren't you getting responses? There are a couple of things that come to mind.

Are you really applying to positions you're qualified for? If you have the correct number of years of experience (not more - not much less), and the position is in an industry that you've worked in, and the job requirements truly mirror what you've done in the past, then you need to take a hard look at your resume to see if it's doing the job for you.

My guess would be that it needs work. Your resume needs to get your foot in the door, and if you're a reader of my site, you'll know that you only get 15-20 seconds to make it into the "yes" pile. Your resume is used to screen you out not in. So, take an objective look at your resume.

See if you've followed all of the advice I provide on Top-Sales-Jobs.com. You'll find everything you need to know here:



From this page, you can link through to tons of content on every aspect of writing a resume.

If you still need help, I offer a reasonably priced resume critique. You can find information about that service here:



I hope this helps. Legitimate jobs are out there. Use a good job board to find them!