Are you unemployed and looking for work? When it comes to finding a job, today, most employers post their jobs online.
Applying for jobs online has numerous advantages for job seekers. For one, job seekers have more access to information about jobs than they used to. Specialized job boards cater to professionals in a wide variety of fields, and make it easy to find jobs that fit your skills and experience. Applying to a job online is simpler than it was in the past, though it also means that there’s more competition among candidates. Today, when you apply for a job online you may actually be competing against talent from all over the world.
So how do you make your cover letter and resume stand out? The following tips can help you to find and apply for jobs online—and actually get hired.
How to Find a Job Online
- Looking for a job is a full-time job in itself. Search widely, but don’t apply to jobs that don’t fit your specific qualifications.
- You should customize your resume and cover letter to each job you apply for in order to demonstrate how you meet the specific qualifications outlined in the job description. Avoid sending out a generic cover letter and resume.
- Use specific information to describe your accomplishments in your cover letter and resume. Whenever possible, use percentages or figures to quantify your previous successes.
- Think quality over quantity. Sending out the same cover letter and resume to as many jobs as possible is unlikely to get you any call backs. Instead, zero in on between ten and twenty jobs that you think would be a good match.
- Use online networking sites to your advantage to find companies that fit your interests and career needs. These days, you can track employees at a particular company and contact them for more information at the company.
- Don’t apply to more than one job at a particular company. If you do, the company may take it as a sign that you’re not serious or focussed enough.
- Upload your resume online on numerous websites. You might be surprised to learn that human resource professionals actually do perform searches to find candidates—sometimes even before they post a job.
- Use the right keywords. Keep in mind that search engines aren’t “smart.” Most will only pick out the exact phrases that the hiring manager inputs. So if you use a different phrase, you’ll be out of luck.
- Study job descriptions that fit your experience, skills, and qualifications and single out a set out keywords, then make sure they’re included in your resume.
- Upload a new resume everyday. This can help you to stay at the top of search engine results.
- Maintaining your professional presence online is a must. You should spend time updating your profile on job boards and networking sites, so that human resources professionals can find you quickly and easily when your resume lands on their desk.
- You can use multimedia to your advantage in your profile by adding links to projects you’ve completed, companies you’ve worked for, speeches you’ve given, etc. Showcasing your accomplishments can help you to stand out as a candidate.