By Paula Santonocito, AIRS Staff Writer

Imagine communities where people gather and exchange information about themselves and even (gasp!) post their resumes. Sound like a recruiter's fantasy? Such communities do exist. They're online places you can and should visit when searching for candidates.

Virtual communities provide a way for people to keep in touch with distant friends and family members. They feature online clubs, chat rooms, and various modes of interaction. Since most also offer the opportunity for free homepages, at these communities you'll find a wide range of pages, created by individuals with backgrounds from bongo player to CFO. Many homepages contain job-related data, but some contain actual resumes.

GeoCities is one of the most popular virtual communities on the Web. With membership now exceeding three million, GeoCities is an ideal place to look for candidates. Entering "resume" in the search box at the GeoCities homepage will return over 195,000 items. In order to narrow the search, choose a keyword or keywords. Entering "resume AND java" brings the search results down to just under 15,000 items. To make the list regionally specific, include a location. For example, "resume AND java AND ny" returns just over 900 items. You'll be able to get even more targeted results with additional keywords, allowing you to browse through fewer results.

Searching at Tripod, another virtual community, also returns results from Angelfire www.angelfire.com. This two-for-one bonus is because both communities are part of the Lycos Network. Although membership is separate and communities tend to vary slightly in terms of offerings, searching for resumes at Tripod and Angelfire is a timesaver. Two lists are returned when searching at either site. Entering "resume AND java AND ny," for example, returns 232 items from Angelfire and 393 from Tripod.

Xoom claims over 14 million members, approximately two million of whom currently have homepages. Besides providing access to a large number of people, Xoom also offers a "Power Search" feature which allows for additional specificity. Clicking on "Power Search" from the home page will provide a detailed search tool that will help you target candidates. The pull-down menu under "Search For" includes eight options, among which are "All the words" and "The Boolean phrase." Under "More Search Terms" you'll find "Must contain," "Should contain," and "Should not contain." There is also the option to return "Full descriptions," "Brief descriptions," or "URLs only." But perhaps the most worthwhile feature of Xoom's "Power Search" is the ability to search by date. The "Date Range" choice is either "Anytime" or "From," which includes an actual date menu. By providing date parameters, you can be assured returned items are current.

For example, choosing "The Boolean phrase" category from "Search for," entering "resume AND java AND ny," in the "Search" box, and selecting a "Date Range" from March 1, 2000 to the present date, returns just under 1,000 items.

Another interesting feature of "Power Search" is that it lets you search by language. Entering "resume" in the "Search" box, using the "Date Range" from March 1 to the present, and selecting "Spanish" from the pull-down "Language" menu, returns resumes in Spanish. Among the items returned is a resume which is available in both English and Spanish. If you need a bilingual candidate, Xoom "Power Search" is an excellent search tool. Enter job specifics, and take advantage of the language feature.

Virtual communities, like their offline counterparts, are inhabited by people with various backgrounds whose work experiences encompass different areas of expertise. Unlike searching for candidates in an offline community, visiting virtual communities allows you to eliminate geographical boundaries, defy language barriers, and review qualifications before making contact. With access to so many people and so much information, these communities are paved with recruitment possibilities.