Finding the Perfect Job Online
Gone are the days of mailing resumes individually to companies and patiently awaiting their response by snail mail. These days, most employers are Internet savvy and expect prospective employees to be so too. Finding a job online is not that different from the traditional approach, but you have to know where to look. It’s also very important to know how to apply so you do not let your resume get lost in the stack or that perfect job could be gone forever.
Where to look
There are literally hundreds of online job websites available. However, unless you are looking for something in a very small niche market, focus on a few broad websites that offer many different types of employment. One of the first places you might want to look is Monster.com. Monster attracts many big name employers and has made the application process very easy. You can upload your resume and create and store generic cover letters that can later be tailor fit to the specific job. For local job listings, you can search and apply online at Craigslist.com, your local governments webpages or your local newspapers online job listings. . For a comprehensive listing of government jobs across the nation and in your area, USAjobs.gov is a great resource.
How to get a call back
One of the most overlooked aspects of an Internet job search is the cover letter. Do at least a 5 minute online search to find out more about the company you are applying to. Incorporate some of your knowledge into a cover letter that you send along with your resume. This lets the prospective employer know that you cared enough to at least know a little about them before applying blindly. And never, ever send your resume without the cover letter. Many job seekers think that since it is such an informal online application, only the bare minimum is required. The fact of the matter is that you will find a job much more easily if you can stand out from the rest and show that you are truly interested in working for their company.
Finding a job online sounds a lot easier than getting hired in person, but there are quite a few rookie mistakes that you’ll want to avoid. Always triple check your resume and cover letter for grammar and spelling and whenever possible have a friend or relative take a look at it too. One of the easiest ways to have your resume put in the prospective employers trash folder is to have a typo or misspelled word. This immediately shows your lack of attention to detail and that is not a trait very highly valued by most people.
Make sure your resume is accurate and avoid over inflating your work experience on your resume. Often times it seems so easy to exaggerate your experience in your favor when you don’t have to look at the person you are telling it to. Just remember that you will have to meet face to face at some point and it would be frowned upon to have lied on your resume – probably costing you the job.