RSS Feeds and How to Use them in Your Job Search
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a process used for aggregating and sharing
web-based content. Using a RSS reader, you can view RSS feeds from a wide range
of job search resources. RSS feeds tend to be updated frequently (sometime in real
time) hence the content is usually quite fresh.
Job hunters have the ability to subscribe to existing RSS feeds that include
predefined job search criteria. More useful, however; is the ability to define your
own job search criteria and convert it into a personalized RSS feed. Then, using
a RSS reader, you can have your personalized job search results and employments
listings presented to you each time you access the RSS reader.
A RSS reader automatically downloads and displays RSS feeds. The RSS feeds usually
list titles, headlines or other high-level information and typically include a brief
description about the content. Clicking on the heading brings up the details you’ll
need.
There
are a number of free and commercial RSS readers available on the Internet. Some
are stand-alone programs; others are built into applications such as web browsers
and email programs. You may find that you already have a RSS reader installed on
your personal computer. If not, a search of the Internet will identify a variety
of RSS reader sources. To get you started, here are a few RSS readers worth checking
out: Feedly: (https://www.feedly.com/), Newsblur:
(https://newsblur.com/) and The Old Reader: (https://theoldreader.com/).
Finding and Setting up a Job Search RSS Feed
There are a number of job search sites that offer RSS feeds. Some have site-specific
content and others, like Indeed.com and SimplyHired.com, aggregate job listings
from a variety of sources (learn more about job aggregators via the /Tools and Resources/Job
Aggregators menu). Sites that will work best for you will depend on how closely
they target jobs that are a match to your needs.
A somewhat more challenging issue is finding out if a particular
job search site offers RSS feeds for their search results. Some sites tell you right
away that RSS feeds are available. Others may require you to do a bit of digging
first. For example, with Indeed.com, you need to conduct a job search using various
criteria before the availability of RSS feeds appear, or you can search their site
for "Job Search Tools" (https://www.indeed.com/tools/jobseeker/).
RSS
feeds are often identified by the orange RSS icon found on this page, but may also
be identified by the initials “RSS” or ”XML.” Unfortunately, there aren’t universal
standards regarding how RSS feeds are presented or accessed from site-to-site. Check
out SimplyHired, Indeed, and Monster for examples of automated RSS feeds you may
find useful. Once you see how they work, you can adjust or expand the number of
feeds you use.
Once a RSS feed has been identified, saving it to your RSS reader not very standardized,
but it is pretty straight forward. To save your job search as a RSS feed, you would
typically click the “RSS Feed” icon (or RSS/XML link) and follow the procedure for
adding the associated code or link to your particular RSS reader. In some cases,
you may have to right click the RSS icon and select “Copy Link” and then paste it
into your RSS reader. In your RSS reader, you typically select “Add Subscription,”
”Add Feed” or something similar and then follow the prompts in order to finish setting
up the RSS feed.
Here are a few examples to give you an idea of what RSS feed links look like.
As you can see, some links with predefined content are quite simple, while more
specific links can be somewhat lengthy. Since most browsers can display RSS feeds,
you can enter the link to the RSS feed in your browser's address bar to view the
feed.
- https://rss.news.yahoo.com/rss/entertainment
- https://rss.indeed.com/rss?q=manager
- https://feeds.reuters.com/reuters/companyNews">https://feeds.reuters.com/reuters/companyNews
- https://feeds.feedburner.com/ProjectManagerJobsInSanDiegoCaIndeedcom
- https://news.google.com/news?pz=1&ned=us&hl=en&q=%22Social+Media%22&output=rss
- https://www.careerbuilder.com/RTQ/rss20.aspx?rssid=RSS_PD&num=25&geoip=false&ddcompany=false&ddtitle=false&cat=JN001
Once set up, any new job search results will show up in your RSS reader as they
become available. As you evaluate those results over a period of time, you may find
that you need to refine your search criteria and then update the RSS feed link.
For example, you may need to make adjustments for geography, salary, industry segment,
etc.
A RSS feed can be a nice complement your other job search processes. By regularly
bringing you targeted employment listings, it can make your job search more productive.
However; it should always be viewed as just one of many tools you should utilize
in your job search.
Finally, while exploring the availability of RSS feeds, you may find that some
job search websites also offer email notifications that deliver new job postings
to you via e-mail each day. While they may not be as timely as RSS feeds, they can
be an easy supplement or alternative to RSS feeds.