What Are the Disadvantages of Looking for Jobs on the Internet?

Searching for a job in the classified ad section of a newspaper is becoming less of a necessity, as employers increasingly list job openings for free on Internet sites such as Craigslist.com and use form websites to conduct the application process entirely online. These methods are convenient for employers, but there are a number of disadvantages for job seekers.

Job seekers focusing on the Internet are prime targets for scammers. The application process makes it reasonable for prospective employers to ask for personal information such as phone numbers, addresses and Social Security numbers, and a scammer can pose as an employer in order to get access to this information. Alternately, some jobs themselves are scams, set up to take advantage of the employees. According to SpamLaws.com, data entry jobs are especially rife with this kind of scam, so exercise caution when applying for these kinds of positions.

Just about anyone with Internet access can apply to a job, and employers can receive volumes of résumés and cover letters. That can compromise the amount of time employers can spend reviewing them. According to the whatjobsite website, bad or unqualified applicants waste a lot of HR employees' time, meaning they're less likely to see and thoroughly read an application that is fully qualified.

Tied in with the large number of applicants, jobs posted on the Internet often offer lower pay. Labor inflation may keep entry-level positions listed over the Internet lower-paid than if they had not been filled using the Internet.

The application process on the Internet is impersonal: Due to the large number of applicants, employers may be unable to respond personally to every inquiry. Even fully qualified job seekers may not hear back from the vast majority of jobs for which they draft personal cover letters in order to apply.