Answer: Posting resumes on-line has become a very popular way to look for new employment or just maintain a presence in the applicant pool when you’re not seeking a new job. There are several reasons for a lack of response. Pinpointing the exact one is difficult, so it’s better to review what you’ve already done and see where changes can be made.

Begin by taking a critical look at your resume, enlisting a friend to help you. Whether or not your resume is on-line or on paper, you need to use the right words to describe your skills and areas of expertise. These "keywords" usually are nouns such as "Java" or "Client/Server." You’ll also need to use the current language of the industry or occupation you’re targeting, "ISO 9000 Specialist" instead of "Quality Specialist," for example. One way to find these keywords is to search such job sites as Monster.com or JobOptions.com for openings that interest you. Notice the words employers use to describe particular jobs, skills needed and qualifications desired. Review resumes posted in public sites such as Career Magazine to see how others in your field describe themselves.

While reviewing your resume, be sure you’ve included a phone number where you can be reached -- a very important piece of information. Many recruiters and employers prefer to contact prospective applicants by phone. As one recruiter says, "If you seem to fit a job that I have open, I want to speak to you now." If you don’t include a phone number, many recruiters will pass by you in favor of someone they can contact more quickly.

After completing your resume review, think where you’ve posted it. As in real estate, location is everything. Resumes posted on personal Web pages probably aren’t being found. Even if you posted in a resume database, it’s possible you’re just in the wrong place. The number of recruiters and employers searching certain databases may be smaller than you think, which means you may not get the exposure you want.

It’s also possible you’re buried in a resume database among thousands of similar resumes. Since many resume databases sort search results by date with the most recent resumes first, you should renew or reload your resume every 30 days or less to be sure you’re always near the top.

You can overcome these problems by planning your posting campaign carefully and experimenting. For the best exposure, post your resume in two or three locations, looking at sites which have large recruiter and employer audiences as well as sites targeted to your field or industry. Don’t post it in every resume database you find. Recruiters refer to this practice as "resume spamming" and frown on those who do it. Choose your locations carefully. If you don’t get a response from a site after two or three months, remove your resume and submit it elsewhere.

As you review your resume-posting campaign, consider your expectations and job-search approach. Did you post your resume thinking it would be an easy way to find employment? If you’re simply waiting for the phone to ring, you’ll probably be disappointed. Publicly posting your resume is only one way to find work, and it’s not necessarily the most successful method. You must continue to review job announcements, research and contact employers and network -- on- and off-line. You may need to change your job-search methods, but don’t discount your abilities or abandon on-line resume posting.

Q: Can I use the Internet to find annual reports?

A: The Internet is a great way to locate annual reports, which anyone targeting a particular organization should review since they list firms’ goals and achievements. Annual reports also include information on company products and services, successes and failures and financial performance, including sales, profits and R&D spending. Typically, they also list offices, divisions and company directors and officers. The Annual Reports Library, a private library boasting a collection of almost 1.5 million reports, includes information on what to look for in annual reports and how to use them in your job search.

The easiest and fastest way to locate employers’ annual reports on-line is to check their web sites. Many organizations post annual reports on-line because it’s an inexpensive way to distribute these documents to the public. If you can’t find a link to the annual report on the front page, check under such headings as "About Us," "Publications," "News" or "Financials." Yahoo! is a great way to locate company Web pages, but if this doesn’t work, search the company’s name using a search engine such as Go.com.

While the Web is an increasingly popular way to distribute annual reports, many companies still don’t have an on-line presence or opt not to publish annual reports on-line. Fortunately several on-line services will mail you reports at no cost if you reside in the U.S. Barron’s Annual Report Service is easy to find from the front page of this weekly financial newspaper’s web site. (Barron’s is published by Dow Jones & Co. Inc., the publisher of this web site.) Review the list of available companies, check off the reports you want, provide a mailing address and submit the form. Annual Report Gallery and Public Register’s Annual Report Service offer a similar service.

Such search engines as AltaVista and HotBot can help you locate annual reports, but you also may find many references that could lead you astray. Search on the organization’s name and the word "annual" or the phrase "annual report" to target this information. You might find past and current annual reports for some organizations.

While looking for annual reports, don’t ignore the 10-K reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by publicly traded companies. These reports, filed within 90 days of the end of the fiscal year, include much of the same information as annual reports but offer more detail.

"10-K reports filed with the SEC usually have more hard data, but annual reports are certainly formatted better," says George Matthew Regnery, founder of CorporateInformation.com. 10-Ks and other reports filed with the SEC are available on-line 24 hours after filing and can be retrieved from the SEC web site.

A: The number of job and recruiting web sites is enormous and grows daily as recruiters and others establish sites and advertise their services. In addition to sites offering job announcements and resume databases, you can find resume-writing services, resume-distribution services and customized employer list providers on-line.

Many services offer job-search help, but be selective about which ones you use. Which site is best for you depends on your needs and experiences. Your criteria for judging "the best" also will differ from other job seekers. Nevertheless, these general criteria for evaluating on-line job-search and recruiting services may be helpful.

First, review the site’s home page. Some sites include job listings, a resume database, employer profiles and additional job-search information such as articles on interviewing and networking. From this, you can decide quickly whether to explore beyond the front page.

Next, if a site hosts job announcements, look for a posting date. If dates aren’t included, look for information on how long announcements are retained so you know how often the database is cleaned. You may find this under the information for employers.

Sites hosting resume databases also should say how long resumes are retained, how to update or delete your resume and how they handle confidentiality issues.

Finally, before you submit your document or pay for services, determine who owns the site. Learn about their background and areas of expertise, whether it’s resume preparation, career counseling, recruiting, etc. Look for a name, mailing address, phone number and an e-mail address. Find out how long they’ve been in business, the services they offer and who their clients are. If they say they’re established recruiters, check a phone book for the city where they’re located and try calling their office (you may find this information on-line using Yahoo!). You can also check the library for recruiter directories such as those published by Kennedy Information.

If you can’t locate information about who runs the site, write and ask them for it. Most legitimate content providers will respond within a day or two. If you don’t get a response, reconsider using the site to job search. After all, in the Internet job market, they’re not the only fish in the pond.

-- Ms. Riley Dikel is an Internet job-search and recruiting consultant in Rockville, Md., and creator of "The Riley Guide," a directory of Internet job-search services found at www.rileyguide.com.