How to Post Your Resume on Craigslist

Craigslist is a free alternative to those job sites that charge you to post your resume. While we generally encourage you to craft your resume for the specific job opening rather than take a scattershot approach, people with specialized, in demand skills can catch the eye of an employer searching the craigslist resume postings.

One thing to keep in mind when deciding whether or not to post your resume on Craigslist is that you may be leaving yourself open to the possibility of identity theft or other problems. Because of its size and built in anonymity, Craigslist has been used successfully by criminals and scammers to ruin lives through identity theft, financial fraud, and rumor mongering.

Whether replying to a job posting or posting your resume for prospective employers to review, it is prudent to provide a limited amount of information. Include a way to contact you and a short explanation of your background rather than your full resume. If you catch an employer’s attention, you can send your resume to them directly once you are comfortable with their credibility.

Here’s how to post your resume or career synopsis on Craigslist:

1. Prepare your resume and save it as a Microsoft Word file or another common format. Better yet, create a synopsis that omits personal information like dates, companies you worked for etc. that could benefit someone intent on highjacking your identity. Instead, list your skills and greatest achievements as measurable demonstrations of what you have to offer (“increased holiday website sales by 125% through an innovative ad campaign”).

2. Go to http://www.craigslist.org

3. Choose the geographic location where you want your resume displayed. First, choose the state on the right hand side of the page, and then on the next page choose the nearest city. If you recently visited your local craigslist site then your browser may default to that and you won’t have to choose the location.

4. Click on “Post to Classifieds” in the top of the left column. Then click on “resume / job wanted” on the next page.

5. Log in – or create an account if you don’t have one, then log in. Verify your phone as directed (if you’re asked to do so), then click on “continue posting”.

6. Choose a catchy “Posting Title.” Write a brief headline that describes your greatest achievement, skills or abilities in the “Posting Title” box. Think in terms of an ad title that will catch the reader’s eye – but don’t go overboard or stretch the truth.

7. Enter a “Specific Location”. This would be where you live, or where you want to work. This is not a required field but can alert employers who want someone local.

8. Copy and paste your resume in the big text box called “Posting Description”. Make sure it’s formatted nicely, looks neat and is easy to read.

9. Include your e-mail address in the box for it under the large text box for the resume.

10. Select contact options. We suggest the “reply to” option that keeps your email address anonymous.

11. Click “Continue” to preview your posting. Click on “Edit” to make any necessary revisions (remember, the formatting must be perfect – no typos, grammatical errors or formatting errors). Click “Continue” when your resume posting is perfect.

12. Verify your posting by typing the letters you see into the box (just as you see them, including caps).  Read and agree to the terms.

13. Check your e-mail for a message from Craigslist. Click the link contained within the email. Save this email, as you will need it to delete or edit your posting.

14. Publish your posting. Review your resume one last time and click “Publish” once you are certain everything is perfect.

Important Tips

• Save the email you got from Craigslist. You will need it to edit or delete your posting.
• You can only post to one category in one city every 48 hours.
• There is a check box during the submission process that reads, “OK for others to contact you about other services, products or commercial interests.” That is essentially an invitation for spam, so leave it unchecked.
• Limit your posting to just one region.

Craigslist can be an important asset in your job-hunting arsenal. Just be careful to protect your personal information and watch out for employment scams.