Maximize
the Results of Your On-line Job Search
We've put together some tips and
advice designed to minimize your time and hassle and maximize
the effectiveness of your on-line job search. Take a few minutes
to read through this information - it may save you a lot of
frustration later on. Good reading and good luck in your job
search!
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1. Understand the Rules of the Game.
Dismiss from your mind all of your
current perceptions about what constitutes a proper job search.
The miracles of cyberspace have altered traditional rules,
formats and protocols dramatically - and probably forever.
Consider, for example, the speed of the process itself. A
search that used to require weeks or even months can now be
accomplished in a few days or in some cases - hours.
In today's "wired" world
resumes are seldom sent out in hard copy via postal ("snail
mail") service. The standard delivery mechanism for resumes
is now e-mail and the new format is plain ASCII text. If you
have relied on dazzling formats and fancy fonts to sell your
resume to employers in the past, you are in for a rude awakening
on the Net. Here "fluff" is disdained; substance
rules.
What this means is that you may
have to change your presentation style in order to appeal
to prospective employers. You must become adept at expressing
your skills and experience in new and unique ways in order
to demonstrate to an employer that you possess the specialized
knowedge and abilities required for a position. What is more,
employers are quickly adopting new artificial intelligence
technologies which enable them to sift through thousands or
even millions of resumes quickly to identify potential candidates
with desired skills and attributes. If the terminology in
your resume does not match up rather closely with the stated
requirements of the position, you are not likely to make it
past this initial and decidedly "impersonal" screening.
More and more frequently, resumes
are being stored on-line - in vast electronic databases where
they can be actively viewed by employers and transmitted instantly
in response to job postings.
The digital frontier has created
both opportunities and challenges. To be sure, however, the
opportunities far outweigh the challenges for those who are
willing to learn the rules and engage the process.
2. Be Patient.
The brave new on-line world holds
out the promise of unlimited real-time information and 24-hour
global connectivity. It is not surprising then, that we draw
the conclusion that thousands of hungry employers are waiting
impatiently somewhere out there in cyberspace - six-figure
offer in hand - ready to snap up our services on the basis
of a hastily scrawled resume as soon as we get around to loading
it onto the Web.
It is simply not reasonable to assume
that what used to take months of back breaking effort has
now somehow been reduced to a handful of keystrokes and a
few mouse clicks. Like its conventional counterpart, an on-line
job search will require time, effort and a lot of patience.
3. Develop & Stick to an On-line Strategy.
Unfortunately, if you're like most
people your first experience at a large on-line job board
was likely to be a bit overwhelming and extremely unproductive.
Information overload can quickly send the best laid plans
spinning out of control. It is critical, therefore, that you
develop and adhere to an on-line job search strategy.
Start by identifying available on-line
resources. Spend some time exploring the various job boards.
Come to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each of
them and identify the ones which seem to offer the most opportunity
for you. For a listing of General and Specialty Job Boards
Click Here.
Once you have evaluated your on-line
options, you will need to begin the process of registering
with the job boards you intend to utilize. This generally
involves filling out an on-line information form and posting
an electronic version of your resume.
It is important that you set goals
regarding your job search activities. For example, determine
in advance how many hours you will dedicate to site searches
each day or week. Set specific goals regarding the number
of jobs you will apply for each week. Set aside a portion
of your time to research specific companies that interest
you. Once you have established these goals, do everything
you can to meet them. The establishment of a solid routine
early on will help you to maintain the discipline necessary
to see your search through to a successful conclusion.
Organization will also play a key
role in your success. A disorganized effort will be terribly
inefficient and may result in embarrassing mistakes. Over
the course of weeks or months, you will begin to lose track
of jobs you have applied for and resumes you have sent out.
You should maintain a meticulous record of your job search
activities. This documentation will serve you well as your
memory begins to fail you. Maintain an electronic copy of
each version of your resume in a file on your computer. Labeling
each resume with the name of the company or position applied
for will ensure that you can always refer back to it if you
are invited for an interview.
4. Pursue Your Job Search Like You Mean
it.
Think back to a time when you didn't
have a job and felt truly desperate. Now - consider the lengths
you were willing to go to in order to have a shot at a decent
job - never mind a dream job. What would you have given for
a single offer - and a modest one at that? If you are serious
about finding your dream job, get ready to work - and work
hard.
The good news is that a multitude
of impressive resources truly are at your fingertips. The
bad news is that they are also at the fingertips of millions
of other Web surfers. In a very real sense you are competing
on the basis of raw stamina and fortitude.
One of the primary keys to a successful
on-line job search is perseverance. Successful candidates
are those who are willing to put in that extra bit of effort
to search one additional job board when everyone else has
long since given up. Where others are content to blast out
dozens of canned resumes without cover letters as they casually
scan their favorite stock listings, serious job seekers take
the extra time to personalize their cover letters and tailor
their resumes to specific job postings. In the end, these
seemingly insignifcant extras can create a significant and
overwhelming competitive advantage.
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5. Personalize Your Resumes and Cover
Letters.
Sending out dozens of generic resumes
without cover letters is not only unprofessional, it is counterproductive.
If you are serious about capturing the attention of prospective
employers, you must tailor your resume to the company and
to the specific job posting. Making subtle changes in the
wording of your resume will allow you to speak more clearly
to specific job requirements. Likewise, a well crafted cover
letter will demonstrate interest and convey additional information
about your qualifications. By addressing the specific requirements
of the positions for which you apply, you will maximize your
chances of making it through the initial screening process
and generating a job interview.
6. Take Full Advantage of the Webs Most
Powerful and Important Feature...
One of the most powerful yet consistently
underutilized features of the World Wide Web is its enormous
capacity to diseminate information. Information can be empowering
if it is properly utilized. It is extremely short-sighted
to presume that because you receive a lackluster response
- or no response at all - to your on-line applications that
your efforts have been entirely fruitless. As long as you
maintain careful records of your activities and pay close
attention to the presentation and format of each resume, you
can build on your experience. Don't be afraid to try new things.
Due to the speed of the on-line process, it is possible to
make subtle or wholesale changes to your resume and cover
letters on a weekly or even daily basis.
Keep track of the changes that you
make to your resume over time. Those changes that generate
a more favorable response should be incorporated into future
applications; those that do not should be discarded. Experiment
with different wording or formats until you find combinations
that work.
7. Read the Directions.
There are few things more unproductive
than to spend a lot of time and effort tailoring your resume
and personalizing a cover letter, only to have your application
rejected by an employer's computer because you failed to include
a required tracking number or follow other formatting directions.
Paying attention to details can
often mean the difference between being considered for a lucrative
position and not being considered. Keep in mind that if an
employer provides specific instructions, there is generally
a good reason. You should make every effort to follow those
instructions if you want to maximize your response rate.
8. Don't Ignore Traditional Search Vehicles.
Never assume that there is no longer
a place for a well-polished 1-2 page paper resume. When all
is said and done, many employers still prefer to see hard
copy resumes. Always have an up-to-date, nicely formatted
resume available during your job search.
Also, don't underestimate the value
of networking. The old adage that it's not what you know but
who you know has more truth to it than most of us would like
to believe.
9. Think Carefully Before you Make a Move.
As you initiate a new job search
you will be surprised at how quickly the process will take
on a life of its own. What began as a simple exploration can
quickly result in interview invitations and even tempting
job offers. Before you let these visions of new opportunities
carry you into never-never land, step back for a moment and
consider your present situation. Evaluate your reasons for
making a change. Do they seem reasonable? If so, does the
offer you are about to accept fully address your issues and
concerns? Have you sought the advice of a spouse, family,
or close friends?
Don't forget to include your present
employer into your thinking. Is it possible that you could
find a more suitable position within your own company without
having to make a major career move? You should carefully consider
the implications of lost benefits such as 401K vesting, retirement
plans, pension funds, vacation accruals and unvested stock
options before accepting a position with another company.
If you are certain that you have
found your dream job - go for it! Life is too short to waste
it on an unfulfilling career.
10. Play the Numbers.
Given the vast and ever-expanding
snature of the World-Wide-Web, at any given moment there will
be literally millions of job opportunities at your fingertips.
Just thinking about it can be a bit overwhelming. Before prSoceeding
any further, you need to recognize that, for better or for
If in your past job searches you
were offered one interview for every 10 resumes you sent out,
plan on sending out five to ten times that many to generate
an interview on the Internet. Understanding this concept up-front
will help you to minimize your disappointment and avoid early
burnout. If you are serious about finding a great job - play
the numbers and stay the course. And remember - the great
jobs really are out there!
Summary
The Web is not a panacea, but it
is certainly the most comprehensive and immediately available
source of raw job information available anywhere in the world.
But to be effective in your on-line job search you need to
make the Web work for you. This requires patience, perserverance
and a solid strategy. You must come to understand the strengths
and advantages of the Web and then manag worse, the on-line job search has become a giant numbers game.
Make sure that you use this resource
intelligently. Use the Web to augment and enhance your efforts
- don't expect it to replace traditional search mechanisms.
Take advantage of the Web's powerful ability to generate information.
Then use this information to fine tune your resume and improve
the effectiveness of your search.
Good Luck!
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