You might already use Google Alerts to monitor things that interest you. Did you know you could also use Alerts to help with your job search? Here’s how.

Follow Companies That Interest You

If a tech firm that interests you is opening a new office in your town, or hiring for a project that requires your skill set, chances are pretty good—especially if the company is a prominent one—that the news will pop up on Google Alerts. Such information can give you a better clue of where, when, and how to apply for a job with the company.

Tailor Your Online Profile

Placing a Google Alert on yourself isn’t just a good way of detecting identity theft; it’s also an excellent means of tailoring your online presence to appeal to tech companies that might want to hire you. If problematic things about you pop up in Google Alerts, you know that an HR staffer or recruiter might find those things, as well—and you can either move to have the offending page taken down, or better prepare to answer questions about the issue in a job interview. Similarly, if Google Alerts surfaces a lot of online info suggesting that you’re becoming an expert or resource in a particular technology category, you can emphasize that aspect of your skill set in your online profiles and resume, in order to create a more holistic package for anyone considering you for a job. When researching candidates, many HR staffers and recruiters take both the candidate’s own materials and anything they find online into account.

Follow Technology

Technology evolves quickly, and you need to keep up with it. Google Alerts are an excellent way of seeing the latest in terms of the technology segments that interest you. The sooner you discover what’s new, the sooner you can learn it (and put it on your resume).