Frequently-Asked Questions

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Jobs

Q. Does Job Searching: Technical find jobs for me?

A. Not directly. Job Searching: Technical is not a headhunting service, but the most comprehensive directory to technical job sites and career-related information on the Net. Its sole purpose is to help job seekers to help themselves. It guides you to hundreds of helpful resources, so that you may independently search for jobs, and contact recruiters and employers. You may post a job-wanted message in the forum, where recruiters and employers often visit.
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Q. Does Job Searching: Technical provide individualized job and career counseling?

A. While I have opinions and expertise, I don't presume to be a career guidance counselor any more than a journalist who writes a career column. I'm a professional Web writer, and like a career journalist, I specialize in career information. If you have exhausted all of the career resources and articles at Job Searching: Technical and still have a question, feel free to ask by email. I'll answer by guiding you to resources on the Web, so that you may independently conduct career research or contact qualified career counselors.
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Q. Does Job Searching: Technical provide job-related legal advice?

A. Job Searching: Technical is not engaged in rendering legal services. But it does list informative labor and employment law resources for your convenience. Job Searching: Technical also has related articles, but they are strictly consumer guides about popular legal matters, not legal advice. Please see an attorney for legal advice. If you ask questions about legal matters by email, you'll receive a similar answer. But if I can quickly find answers, I will tell you of my research and direct you to the resources. Please research the resources and articles before sending email.
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Q. Does Job Searching: Technical have onboard, job-searching facilities?

A. No, except for those occasionally offered by About.com partners and advertisers. But employers and recruiters do often post job opportunities in the forum. They are solely responsible for their content, but I check regularly to ensure compliance with the job posting guidelines.
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Q. How do I apply for a job at About.com?

A. Please don't contact Guides. We are independent contractors who are not involved in the hiring process. Instead, start at the following links.

Careers at About lists the jobs currently available at the home office, with links to information about the company.
Be a Guide explains the requirements for becoming a Guide, with a link to the application form.

You can live anywhere in the world with Internet access to be a Guide, but you'll likely have to live close to the home office to work there. It's in New York City's Silicon Alley.
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Resumes

Q. Does Job Searching: Technical accept, store, forward or distribute résumés?

A. Job Searching: Technical does not have any facilities for résumés. Please do not send your résumé. Instead, submit it to the job sites and résumé databases here at Job Searching: Technical.
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Q. May I post my résumé in the forum?

A. To keep online access to the forum as fast as possible, please don't post your entire résumé. Up front, recruiters and employers are most interested in your skills and education anyway. If they like your skills, they will ask for your entire résumé. (It's the custom in public job forums.) You are welcome to post a brief, job-wanted message that highlights your skills and education. But it's not a good idea to post personal information, such as street address and phone number, in any forum. Please follow the guidelines and be aware that recruiters might contact you.
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Q. Does Job Searching: Technical write or critique my résumé and other employment-related correspondence?

A. No, but it does guide you to helpful resources for such. Please browse Writing Resumes, Writing Letters and related features.
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Q. Is résumé really the correct spelling?

A. Yes, but resumé and resume are acceptable variants. It's better not to include the special character é in Internet résumés and cover letters, as not all search engines, résumé forms, employer databases, etc. recognize it.
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Submitting Sites

Q. What types of sites does Job Searching: Technical list?

A. Technical job-searching sites, including science, medicine and healthcare. Career-guidance sites and those that list a variety of jobs, including technical, are welcome, too.
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Q. What are some basic requirements to get listed?

A. Job Searching: Technical considers several factors including types of jobs offered, job descriptions presented, privacy protection, number of free career services offered, and site appearance, quality, security, loading time and reliability. The goal of Job Searching: Technical is to link to professional Web sites that allow job seekers to conduct most of their job-seeking activities confidentially, online, and for free. Net-based services such as résumé posting, career guidance, job notification by email and comprehensive job searching are key. Your site certainly doesn't have to offer every conceivable free service to get listed, but it must be a useful, substantial, professional-looking Web site, focused on job searching or career advice. Examples of sites that do not meet the goal of Job Searching: Technical are listed below, and will not be listed.

Off topic
Under construction
Only a few jobs
Essentially online handbills
Speculative jobs
Fee-based products or services
Redundantly similar to Job Searching: Technical
Trap visitors or redirect to inappropriate sites
Typos, obvious grammatical errors or otherwise amateurish
Questionable opportunities or scams and schemes

Job Searching: Technical reserves the right to reject and remove links.
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Q. If my site meets the requirements, does Job Searching: Technical guarantee to list it?

A. Ordinarily, you've got a good shot at it. But it depends on whether or not the appropriate category ("Subject") already has plenty of quality links to sufficiently cover its topic and satisfy its audience. Too much of a good thing can have the opposite affect. To put it another way, too many links are confusing and not practical to maintain. Broken links frustrate the Job Searching: Technical audience, and unfortunately, sites changes their pages around or drop off the face of the Net all too often.
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Q. Does Job Searching: Technical list sites that charge for products or services?

A. Typically, no. Because there are thousands of sites that do not charge job seekers, it's hard to justify listing the few that do. Job Searching: Technical can't possibly vouch for fee-based products or services it has never used, and is not in the business of reviewing same. Additionally, it is against the law in some states to charge job seekers for certain services, and it is impractical to track the particulars for each state. Sites that promote products or services such as books, software or resume services might get listed, if they also provide substantial, useful, free resources (locally, not solely in off-site links) and comply with the other guidelines in these FAQs. Sites that are initially free, but use gimmicks such as "upgrading" and "bidding" that mislead job seekers into thinking they have a better chance if they pay a fee, will not be listed.
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Q. Does Job Searching: Technical list sites that require registration?

A. It depends. If the site requires registration just to look around, then typically, no. Job Searching: Technical agrees with Web expert Jakob Nielsen's opinion: "It's like posting an armed guard at the door to a department store and only letting people in...after they show two forms of ID and suffer nosy questions about their family tree." If the site requires registration only where necessary to contact job seekers about openings, then yes, as long as registration is not too invasive, and the site guarantees privacy and no spam. But I visit hundreds of sites, so it is impractical for me to register. If any feature of your site requires registration, please send a temporary or visitor's user ID and password, so that I may fairly evaluate it without registering. I will not subvert your security by revealing or using them to deep link.
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Q. Does Job Searching: Technical list gateways or sites that share common resources?

A. Typically, no. Job Searching: Technical will list the main site if it meets the other guidelines here, but not sites that tap its common job database or other resources. It's redundant to list both. However, if your site filters and refines the common database automatically (without user intervention) for an exclusive, target audience, plus offers several unique resources and advantages of its own, it will be considered as though it is a standalone site.
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Q. Does Job Searching: Technical link to personal homepages?

A. Typically, no. For the sake of its audience, Job Searching: Technical links only to businesses, because they are more likely to persist, retain the same domain name (URL), update often, and maintain a professional look and feel. However, homepages from serious hobbyists who meticulously build and maintain professional sites will be considered, if the sites are on fast servers, do not often change URLs, and meet the other guidelines listed here.
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Q. How do I submit a site URL to be considered for inclusion at Job Searching: Technical?

A. Please read this entire section first. Then, if your site is appropriate, complete the simple Site Submission Form. Please omit marketing hype, press releases, etc., and send only practical details about the site from a job seeker's perspective. Inappropriate submissions will be deleted.
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Q. Is your site-linking service free?

A. Yes. Reciprocal links to Job Searching: Technical are certainly appreciated, but not required, and have no influence on the selection process. All services offered by Job Searching: Technical are supported by advertisers, as they are across all About.com sites, so that we may provide them for free.
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Q. May I suggest how and where you list the site I submit?

A. Factual details from a job seeker's perspective are welcome. But ultimately, it is my job to evaluate, categorize and annotate site links in the best interest of my audience. Sorry, but Job Searching: Technical is not free advertising space. To advertise your site at About.com, please see Be an Advertiser.
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Q. How long does it take to get a site listed?

A. Job Searching: Technical has dozens of categories, thousands of links, and many site submissions in the queue. Unlike the impersonal, automated search engines, I regularly update each category and link by hand, and personally screen each site. It depends on where I'm at in the update cycle when you submit your site, how many are ahead of yours for the appropriate category, and whether or not the category already has too many links to be practical. It could take only a few days, but will likely take three months or more. If you provide your email address, I'll send confirmation if and when I list your site. Your patience is appreciated.
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Q. Do I have to have to be affiliated with a site to suggest it?

A. Heck no! I am especially interested in sites that you in the Job Searching: Technical audience recommend. But please, don't pretend you are a regular audience member praising a site, when in fact, you are affiliated. This happens a lot and there's no need if it's a good site to begin with. If not, I'm going to see that anyway. Honesty goes a lot farther, and I quickly catch on to hype.
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Q. How do I advertise my site, product or service across About.com or place targeted ads on Job Searching: Technical?

A. The sales team at About.com's New York headquarters will be happy to accommodate you. Please start at Be an Advertiser. Thanks for your interest in supporting Job Searching Technical.
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Q. If I pay for advertising, do I get an automatic listing at Job Searching: Technical?

A. No, because they are two entirely different things, the same as they are for magazines and newspapers. It's a matter of editorial integrity and fairness to all. (Of course, your ad will be conspicuous on Job Searching: Technical or elsewhere at About.com.) If you are kind enough to help support this free service, your site will certainly be considered, but the same as any other. If it meets the guidelines here, feel free to submit it.
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