3 things to consider before posting your resume online

Will a CV get more attention if posted to a wide range of job boards, or is less more when it comes to online posting? Our members increasingly ask this question as both general and niche job boards — including in international development — have cropped up around the world, spurred in part by more accessible and affordable website building tools.

While I may think Devex is the only place you need to be visible to employers in this sector, I understand that job seekers want to cast a wide net when looking for new opportunities.

Posting your information to established sites like LinkedIn can be a sound strategy, but not all websites are created equal; posting haphazardly could mean putting your privacy and professional profile at risk. Before you start sharing your information to lesser-known websites, here are three things to consider.

1. Make sure they have a privacy policy

Some job boards don’t have a privacy policy, creating questions of what they might be doing with your resume or personal information. Many independent consultants have had the experience of their resume showing up on a proposal they knew nothing about or receiving spam mail shortly after registering with one of these sites.

Check to see if there is a privacy policy, typically included in the footer of the website, as well as any page where you are requested to enter personal information. Make sure to read it to see how they will treat your information and who will have access to it.

Devex, for example, is U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Certified and has a privacy policy, which you can view here.

2. Know who is behind the site

While a job board may appear independent, it could actually be owned by development consulting firms. While it’s not clear why these job boards aren’t transparent about their affiliation if nothing nefarious is going on, most companies and nongovernmental organizations know better than to recruit candidates on a site that is a potential competitor to their work, and don’t put their brands up on these sites.

Look to see if the site has an office address, phone number and names the people associated with it. If it doesn’t provide any of this information, you have to wonder who is really behind it. They may not be publishing their names because they aren’t registered businesses and don’t want to pay taxes, but if they’re asking for your personal details, can’t they at least share some basic information of their own?

3. Don’t share sensitive information identity thieves could use

If you do send in a resume or make a profile on one of these sites, scrub your resume of information that identity thieves could potentially use, like your address, phone number and full legal name. Definitely remove your personal ID number if you include it on your resume.

Also, don’t use the same password you’d use on other important sites like your online bank account or social media accounts.

Since many recruiters search first before posting a job, and sometimes never post a job at all, posting your CV and professional information online is important to both active and passive job seekers. If you follow these three tips, you can make sure you are marketing yourself to these opportunities while also protecting your personal information.

Whether you’re a seasoned expert or budding development professional — check out more news, analysis and advice online to guide your career and professional development, and subscribe to Doing Good to receive top international development career and recruitment news every week.