Google Alerts----problems?

[Brett Beauchamp-Russell]

So...

This morning I go to create a Google alert/search string for a position that I'm looking for... very simple Linkdedin Xray;

site:linkedin.com ("core java" AND swing) AND (ny OR "new york")

Runs great on Google.com   4800+ returns (yes, I plan to change the search to reduce the number of returns...not my concern at the moment)...

My concern...

When  I try putting the same search string into Google alerts.. I'm told that there are NO search results.

Any thoughts as to what might be going on?  Anyone know of trouble with Google Alerts?

[Aaron Lintz (@SC)]

Brett,

It usually takes at least a day for alerts to populate.  Since Alerts only works as an email, you really need to refine this search to include "only the best" results on

http://www.google.com/alerts/manage

[Dennis Gorelik]

Aaron, when I enter new alert it immediately shows me number of matching results (I guess for the last day) on the right side of the screen.

For example "core java" shows 5 results.

"java" shows 10 results (my guess it's capped by 10).

But Brett's query returns no results.

site:linkedin.com ("core java" AND swing) AND (ny OR "new york")

That probably means that on the last day there were no results.

Update:

Just checked in my resume database:

http://www.postjobfree.com/resume-alert?q=core+java+swing&l=nyc

Show no results in 30 days.

http://www.postjobfree.com/resume-alert?q=core+java&l=nyc

shows 3 resumes per week.

http://www.postjobfree.com/resume-alert?q=core+java+swing

6 resumes a week.

[Aaron Lintz (@SC)]

I was inspired in part by this post to finish documenting my workflow alternative to Google Alerts here on Sourcon today http://www.sourcecon.com/news/2013/10/23/rss-horticulture-for-sourc...

I included links and an example using Google Search API (free for up to 200 search queries per day) and converting it to RSS.  I also detailed alternatives to Alerts since it does appear to be less accurate than in the past which may be a bad sigh for it's future as a monitoring tool.  

I have never been a developer, and I can't code with out cheat sheets, so anyone here with the desire can repeat this formula for free with consistent and accurate results.  I hope it helps Brett and others.