Is Monster.com legit or just data-mining BS?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Has anyone on here actually done any hiring (or gotten a job) as a result of posting on this site? I'm considering a change in my career (and life) direction and want to start sending out some feelers in new areas without having my personal information mined and scattered to god-knows-where. I'm also leery of sites like Indeed or Beyond, and I flat-out refuse to use LinkedIn (or Facebook or MySpace or any of that social/quasi-social nonsense). I've used CL in the past - some legit stuff but a lot of worthless "headhunter" stuff and people trolling for low bids ("include salary requirements" ads automatically get ignored and there are an awful lot if them, but I digress...)

I like my current position (developer) and it pays okay but I'm just not very challenged here and think I'm kind of "maxed out" in terms of my opportunity. I've also been through a lot of changes in my personal life recently and have been thinking pretty hard about a new direction and a new adventure - this one completely on my own terms... More on that later maybe but suffice to say I've given a lot of thought to a new adventure. I have my eye on a couple of places in particular (longer-term business opportunities and quality of life in mind...)

Anyway, what site(s) can I use without feeling like I'm just going to be sticking a "steal my info" or "profile me" billboard on myself? I go through a lot of pains to protect myself from Internet profiling and to protect my personal privacy. I don't feel entirely comfortable just handing documents like resumes, cover letters, salary info, etc. to some site where they can be scanned for keywords and a profile of me assembled for no-good-purpose. But by the same token, I want results.

Any advice?

[Nostril Cheese]

I get calls all the time with interesting opportunities because of Monster. It has worked very well for me in four different fields.

The advice I'd give is to use social media to your advantage rather than being paranoid. If someone wants your info bad enough they are going to get it.

[gacook]

When I was getting out of the Army 8 years ago, I posted my resume on Monster. I had a job lined up in less than a week. That job happened to be as a headhunter focusing on IT professionals. Our agency used Monster almost exclusively to get leads for positions we needed to fill; it was a goldmine.

8 years later, I still get daily emails from Monster alerting me to jobs within my search category that are popping up.

[Icemaster]

Lots of calls and emails, majority come from recruiting puppy mills with middle eastern/Indian call center accents. Half a dozen legit offers, one I took. Dice is the same way. Indeed.com is good, if your willing to pony up the dollars, ladders.com is legit. LinkedIn still is a good one, as is the old standard of working your network connections.

Monster and Dice are pretty good about letting you determine how much of your info you want to make public. Current employer found my profile on Monster.

[URY914]

I landed my current job off Career builder.

[azasadny]

Monster, Dice and CareerBuilder were useless for me, but LinkedIn worked! I'm in IT, so that may be a factor...

[crustychief]

Interesting video I found today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mid8p4A6Eg&feature=youtu.be

In a 2012 JobVite survey, 89% of hiring decision-makers and recruiters reported using social media sites such as LinkedIn to find their candidates. If this is the case, shouldn’t you have a profile already?

"Your knowledge of managing your online presence lets me know how proficient you are in using technology to communicate. It also allows me to see your skills, even if they’re nascent. If you have an incomplete profile, it may communicate that you might also expect me to complete your work for you.

Take the time and get it set up right. There are lots of places and resources available online to get help at no cost, so there isn’t any excuse for why you don’t have a profile. Additionally, a complete LinkedIn profile allows you to take advantage of LinkedIn Labs’ Resume Builder to automatically generate 11 different resume styles based on your LinkedIn profile. Talk about a time saver!"
http://www.careerattraction.com/congratulations-on-your-military-service-now-here-are-9-reasons-why-i-wont-hire-you/

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I don't think I could ever get a job again.

[Rick Lee]

I think you're nuts for not using LinkedIn. It helped get me my current job and it got me several interviews when I was looking. I found a place I wanted to work, but knew the competition would be stiff. So I searched and found someone on LinkedIn who worked in the dept. I was applying for and sent him a note, explaining he didn't know me from a hole in the ground, but I'd really appreciate his help in moving my application along. And he did. And he did it again for another job there when I didn't get the first one. I've still never met the guy, but feel like I owe him a beer.

My current job started with a recruiter who checked me out on LinkedIn after we got to talking. My network makes it very apparent that my resume is real and not fluffed up. That counts for something when you're dealing with a recruiter on the other side of the country. I got the offer a month to the day from losing my last job, they matched my best W2 and with plenty more opportunity.

[aigel]

I have gotten my last two jobs via LinkedIn. I would re-consider putting a profile. That said, if you are changing fields rather than developing on the same career path, LinkedIn may be less useful.

I would NOT post my resume on Monster. This, unlike having a profile on LinkedIn, will immediately signal your current employer, that you are looking for a job. A lot of employers do have Monster memberships and sometimes management does have a look who of their current employees is posted on there.

Good Luck.

G

[fanaudical]

I have received interesting and worthwhile contacts when I had my resume on Monster. (I also received a lot of worthless contacts.) I find that LinkedIn has been much more effective and brings a higher quality of opportunity.

[Laneco]

I got my prior job (and I worked 4 or 5 years there) from Monster.com. I would not post my resume there, but I did answer one of the postings and was successful with a job hunt.

angela

[scottmandue]

I have not been job shopping in 15 years but back when I was I looked a lot on monster.

Heck, I'm not even seriously looking and I have a LinkedIn account (fate favors the prepared) never had a problem with it as far as getting spammed.

I have noted the websites listed here thought, my wife will be looking later this year.

Thanks!

[Shuie]

try dice.com for anything IT.

[mreid]

You would be crazy not to use LinkedIn. Almost every top employer has a company profile and we post most of our top jobs on LinkedIn. It is truly our solution to search firms. I'll hire 5,400 people in 2014 in Tampa, Phoenix, and San Antonio. All good jobs, some great jobs.

[azasadny]

Ford contacted me through LinkedIn for the job I have now (they brought me back after taking a buyout in 2007) and the previous two contracting gigs I had before coming back to Ford were through LinkedIn.

My job in 2007, that I took when I left Ford was through a contact here on this board (thanks again, George Kachadoorian!). Contacts are made all over the place and you never know what they can lead to...