Registering yourself with a job board is now one of the most common ways of finding a job. It is an ideal way for you to showcase you relevant skill sets to prospective employers, and should be viewed as an important tool in your job hunting arsenal.

This page will explain to you everything you need to know about uploading your CV to an online job board. Apart from being a user’s guide on registering you CV, you will also find here;

  • Links to prominent job boards where you can upload your Curriculum Vitae’s.
  • A guide on how to put together an interview winning CV.

The benefits of uploading your CV to a online jobsite

There are many reasons why it’s advisable to register your CV with an online job board. One of the main ones is that many Hiring Managers do not like receiving CV applications, and then having to sift through them. This is understandable when you realise that any vacancy advertised can typically generate 100’s of job applications. For a recruiter it can be time consuming, and hard work having to screen all of these candidates. One solution for a growing number of employers is to search the CV databases of job boards looking for suitable candidates for their vacancies. This is not only easier and more convenient for them, but it can also be done at a time of their choosing, and has the added benefit of allowing them to search a much wider bank of candidates.

Other advantages of uploading your CV are;

  • Many recruiters never advertise their vacancies, and instead find suitable staff by searching through the CV databases of job boards and recruitment agencies.
  • It will make you immediately much more visible to prospective employers.
  • It’s a fast and easy way for recruiters to find you (1000’s of recruiter’s view and search CV databases every day).
  • Its a quick way to apply for jobs.
  • You can have suitable jobs emailed directly to you (saving you having to look for them).
  • It makes applying for jobs much easier, just a few clicks and your application will be sent. You do not need to keep uploading or attaching your CV every time you want to apply for a job.
  • Through a ‘Jobs Basket’ feature you will be able to apply for numerous jobs at once, rather than one at a time.
  • You can apply for jobs from anywhere in the country or world. If you are away from home, and find a job you want to apply for, then simply log into the job board and send your CV electronically.
  • You can quickly remove your CV or make it invisible if you want to.
  • You can hide your name and personal contact details, if you want so that only your skills, career history and qualifications are visible. This way you will not have to worry about your current employer finding out that you are job hunting.
  • Even if you are already in employment, it’s still a good idea to be listed with a job board, as interested employers will always keep you on file for future reference. This is especially true for contract workers.

Privacy settings
Once you have uploaded your CV you will have settings that allow you restrict who has access to it. You can keep it private so that it is only viewable by certain prospective employers. If anyone want to read it they will have to contact you first. Bear in mind that even if you do this you will still be able to use your CV to apply for positions via the job board.

If you don’t have a CV to upload
Many websites have online forms that you can use to insert your personal and career details in. So even if you don’t have a CV to upload you can still be registered with them.

How do you upload your CV
Every job board will have a visible button that says something like ‘Upload your CV’ or ‘Register’. After clicking this button you will be taken to a registration page where you have to enter your personal details. You will also have a browsing tool on the page that will allow you to attach and then upload your CV (to be able to do this you must have previously saved your CV to your computer). This is the most common way to upload your CV to a job site. Other ways include;

  • Copying text from your existing CV and pasting it into a form on the job board.
  • Create a CV online, using a job boards pre-formatted layout.
  • Emailing your CV to a job board and have them upload it for you.

Does it cost to upload your CV?
No it should always be free. Never pay to have your CV registered with a job site.

Tips when uploading your CV online
A CV is only as good as what you put in it.

Recruiters browsing a CV database use specialist software to search through it. If you’re CV or its text is formatted in a particular way then it can stop the search tool from finding certain important keywords. This is bad as it will mean that your CV will not turn up in any results, and potentially be missed by employers. Here are a list of things that you should avoid using in your CV;

  • underlining text
  • italics
  • photos
  • excessive use of colours
  • unusual fonts

All of the above can stop software from scanning and searching your resume and picking up searched for keywords.

Make the layout as attractive as possible.
Try to match your skills and abilities to a employers requirements.
Keep your CV fresh and up to date, don’t forget to add any news skills you have acquired.
Focus on describing your most relevant achievements.
Check your CV for spelling and grammar mistakes.

What formats can your CV be saved in?
You have a wide range of choices, including:

  • PDF
  • MS Word
  • HTML

Registering with a job board
With virtually all job sites you will have to register with them first, and open an account before you are able to post your CV with them. Some of the information you need to provide during the registration process will be compulsory, but other stuff will be voluntary. Below are details that you will have to provide:
Name
Address
Email address
Home or mobile telephone numbers
Skill sets
Academic qualifications
Job roles or titles that you are looking for.

Your contact details
It’s vital that you enter the correct contact details as the last thing you want is for a employer not to be able to contact you due to you having entered a incorrect phone number or email.

Creating a online profile with a job board
To do this you simply have to populate and fill in relevant fields. You will have to enter your personal details along with your preferred job title and post code, skill sets and work experience.

How long does it take to upload your CV
It should take no more than a few minutes.

What happens after you have uploaded your CV
You would normally be sent an automatic confirmation email, and may have to click a link in it to activate your account.

Editing an uploaded CV or existing profile
Sometimes you may want to replace an existing CV with a newer version, or update your skills sets or contact details in your personal profile. This is quick and easy to do, and can be done as often you want. You just log into your account and then use the management tool to make your changes.

Deleting your CV from a job board or closing your account
This again is a simple process, all you have to do is log into your control panel and follow the instructions for disabling or deleting your account.

 

CV related links
CV distribution
CV power words
Electronic CVs
The best font for a CV
What not to put in your CV
What employers look for in a CV

Template links
CV template examples