Are you serious about landing your dream job in 2018? Knowing where to look for future employers is the first step towards success in your journey towards meaningful employment. This is where social media and the internet come in. Many social platforms, from Facebook to LinkedIn, have a jobs and vacancy boards. Afrinection, too, has launched its very jobs board. Our objective is to connect job seekers from Africa and the diaspora to employers across the continent, by so driving Africa forward.

These days, online jobs boards are excellent places to find work and reach out to potential employers. On the flip side, such platforms are great for companies and organisations to identify and connect with potential new staff members. Most jobs boards, after all, give job seekers the opportunity to post their CVs and job interests whilst enabling companies to post job vacancies.

The importance and relevance of online job boards are not debatable. Data shows that two-thirds of job seekers around the world use such platforms to find work, showcase their skills and attract the interest of potential employers.

“That is what Afrinection tries to achieve,” says Afrinection’s founder. “We want to connect jobseekers from Africa, and the diaspora too, to companies that are based on the continent. Africa has so much talent and so much opportunity. The problem is that there are very few jobs boards that cater specifically for both African employers and job seekers. We need to start solving our region's unemployment problem, particularly among the youth, so the continent can move forward."

So how does one make most of an online jobs board in terms of landing one’s dream job? Competition is after all sky-high. For every vacancy, employees received dozens if not hundreds of applications.

According to Arnie Fertig, founder and CEO of Jobhuntercoach, there are a number of things you can do to increase your odds of being chosen, both online and offline. “Take time to build your network, both in person and online. Attend networking events, participate in your professional organizations and introduce yourself to people. Practice the art of small talk. Understand that, with every new acquaintance you make, you enlarge your network,” he writes in the USnews.

There are four more things one can do to increase one's chance of being hired, says Fertig.

1. Narrow your applications to a relatively few positions. Don't bother with a lot of "Hail Marys" for which you clearly aren't well suited to meet the employer's needs. Instead, look for positions where you can add value to employers.

2. Do your research before you reach out to the employer. Check out the company in the news or on LinkedIn. Figure out its challenges, and how you can add value with your skills and experience. Use this research as you make your case for being considered in your cover letter.

3. Figure out how you can network your way into the company before you apply. You can use LinkedIn to find people in the company you can proactively reach out to for informational interviews. Don't ask for help at the onset, but instead spend some time building a relationship and make yourself the first one to offer help before you ask for it.

4. Ask your contact if the company has an employee referral program. If so, would he be interested in forwarding your resume to the right person? Remember that, if you've already submitted your resume to the company, the employee won't get credit for your application, and that makes a big difference.

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