There�s a lot to take in: a head-spinning array of titles and requirements, an eye-glazing gaggle of classified ads, and a mind-numbing barrage of tips and tricks. Finding a job isn�t as easy as it might sound. It can be a rather daunting task, and something everyone has had to do, or will have to do, at some point in life.

They are not just job-hunting clich�s and advice from those who have achieved success. Pumping palms to network and getting your foot in the door for a face-to-face interview will always be a guaranteed way to make an impression and ensure the most success when looking for a job.

However, put away the red markers and stacks of classifieds because it�s time to consider the click factor. The Internet has become the perfect way to get a jumpstart on the search for that perfect job. It�s not only teeming with valuable resources and information, but many employers are now turning to the Internet to gain access to posted resumes instead of posting classified ads. The World Wide Web truly is a treasure trove of useful information for the job seeker.

 Always Research First

The first step is to know what you want to do, and what type of job you�re looking for. The Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/oco), from the federal government, provides useful information on the job market with career guides to a variety of industries, as well as occupations. See the JobHuntersBible (www.jobhuntersbible.com) for articles and links to websites where you can get help identifying your skills and interests and the kinds of jobs you will probably do best.

Use Job-Hunt�s Pick Your Employer section (www.job-hunt.org/employers.shtml) to check out potential employers. You�ll find links to articles and research about employers, employer websites, and links to research on top employers are available. In Job-Hunt, each state�s page has job-market information for that particular state, usually including a list of the state�s largest employers, occupations that appear to be growing, as well as those that appear to be declining.

Build Your Resume

When it comes to online applications and resume posts, you�re not meeting your employer face to face. So, your resume has to do the talking for you � and it needs to make a great first impression for you to get an interview. For tips and tricks on how to compose an attention-getting resume, check out ResumeResource.com (www.resume-resource.com).

Post Away!

If you go to Google.com and type in �job search,� the website will pull up 522,000,000 results. Instead of sifting through these sorted sites, check out the following top three mega-sites.

CareerBuilder.Com

1.3 million jobs are available at CareerBuilder.Com. It doesn�t cost anything to post your resume. However, it will cost employers to search through the database of resumes. On this site, you can post your resume and complete your profile in as little as 10 minutes.

If you�re employed and don�t want to risk your employer searching the database and seeing your information, don�t worry, CareerBuilder.com will allow you to post your resume and information somewhat anonymously (only your name, email address, and phone number are excluded). Job seekers can apply for as many jobs as they like, and also receive job announcements via email that meet your specified criteria.

The site has numerous job listings in a variety of categories and all have brief descriptions. There is also a large supply of work-at-home opportunities listed.

CareerBuilder.com�s resume formatting is text only, either by pasting the text directly or uploading a word-processing file (which the site automatically converts to plain text). So special formatting on your resume will do you no good.

USA.gov

USA.gov is a virtual gateway into the world of U.S. government jobs. Navigate to the USA.gov home page, click on the �Jobs and Education� section, then go to �Government Jobs.� Here, you�ll find a wealth of resources when searching for jobs working for Uncle Sam.

Monster.Com

On Monster.com, job seekers can search hundreds of thousands of jobs, build and post a resume, and access thousands of pages of career info and advice � all for free. Whether you�re thinking about a new job, a new career, a new city or a new direction � Monster.com is a great resource.

One useful feature is the option to �select all� job fields when searching for job criteria with specific keywords. On a lot of other job-finder sites, you have to choose a specific job area before using a keyword search. This becomes a problem if you can�t find your specialized job in any of the listed industry categories.

On Monster.com, job seekers can look up potential jobs by geographic area, job category, and specific keywords. You can even search by company name. Once job seekers sign up for a free Monster.com membership, Monster Networking hooks up people in the same industry to provide possible leads.

In addition to the seemingly endless job postings, Monster.com offers excellent career advice on resumes, interviewing, and salary information. Members of the network also give rated feedback on each other.

Indeed.Com

Indeed.com is a specialized job search engine that searches �all the job listings from major job boards, newspapers, associations and company career pages.� The site claimed 1,077,477 new searchable jobs posted one recent week. You can narrow your search by keyword, location, and job title. There are also more advanced search options that enable you to narrow your search even further.

Under the normal search option, you can search by location, salary estimate, title, company, job type, or employer.