Should I upload my CV on multiple science job websites?

There are many science job websites where scientists can upload their CVs to find a job. Thus, should you create and upload several professional CVs on these job websites?

Probably not!

Interestingly, I do not know a single colleague in academia who ever looked for candidates on these job search sites. 

I even heard from a representative of a well-known science job website that they are aware that not many (if any) employers search through these thousands of CVs! They make all their money with job advertisements (and not with uploaded CVs). 

However, this surprising honesty may have been a strategic confession to get a contract with our university by agreeing with everything the critical academics had to say :).

All the colleagues I have asked advertise their vacancies on different, primarily free portals and wait for the candidates to apply. 

This saves a lot of work because the applicants have to apply via specific websites or have to use specific forms which make the applications more comparable for the selection committee. 

In addition, the applicant can easily show whether he/she knows the job and the institution/company by submitting a tailored cover letter, a tailored CV, and tailored recommendation letters. Standard applications can and will be already filtered out by the secretaries.

I am afraid that creating and uploading your CV on these websites is a waste of time. You might get invitations from the industry sector, such as the pharmaceutical industry. However, the return on your invested time and energy might not be great.

Instead, you should define precisely what kind of job you want and your talents, skills, and weaknesses. Then, search specifically for open vacancies that fit your profile. 

This approach also helps you become aware of and develop underdeveloped skills that are probably necessary for the job you want. 

The more specific you are, the higher your chance of finding a job close to your expectations. When you finally know the conditions you want, you can more easily build contacts with researchers and employers in the chosen field and develop an intelligent strategy to get hired in science.

Acknowledgments

I have used AI systems, including Grammarly, Google Gemini, and ChatGPT, to enhance the English and comprehensiveness of this article.

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