Gone are the days where you search through classifieds to find a job. Now, everything is done online. From discovering job postings to researching companies, the internet is the place to go for job seekers. To maximize efficiency, there are online best practices to follow so you’re ahead of the job search game.

Refine your search. When searching for jobs, decide what fields, job titles, and companies you’re interested and use specific keywords so more targeted results are returned.

Don’t procrastinate. If you see a job positing that seems like a good fit, don’t wait to apply. If it caught your eye, there’s probably many others who are interested in the position as well, so apply right away.

Sign up for job alerts. Stay ahead of the game by getting text and/or email job alerts when new positions are posted. This is a great approach, especially if there is a company or position you’re really interested in. Getting job alerts can be very beneficial to job seekers because it eliminates the hassle of searching for a job and instead delivers more specific postings to you directly.

Sort postings by date, not relevance. It’s the worst when you’re searching for jobs and something stands out but it’s 3+ week old listing. There are many problems you can run into when applying for a job that’s been around for more than a few weeks – recruiters might have a cap on resumes, the position might have been filled and just not taken down, and if inundated with resumes, you might not hear back. Best practice is to sort postings by date so you can position yourself first in line for the job.

Keep social media profiles professional. Social media is a powerful networking tool for job seekers and recruiters are constantly using social networks to research candidates. Clean up and keep profiles professional and avoid negative social posts so you don’t hinder your job search.

LinkedIn is a must. Every professional, job seeker or not, should have a LinkedIn profile. It’s the easiest way to show off your professional talents and network with other professionals. LinkedIn is also a great tool to discover new job postings. Keep your profile up-to-date and professional so recruiters can discover you.

A lot goes into a typical job search. There are ways to succeed during a job search and there are factors that get in the way. Follow these online job search best practices to maximize efficiency & increases your chances of getting hired.