Tips And Tricks For Applying Online

With the wide network of internet job sites present today, job-seekers have seemingly unending choices and opportunities to find and apply for the myriad of positions available across the country. Executive Recruiter Lynn Hazan of Lynn Hazan & Associates offers these helpful hints for finding and applying for jobs online.

1) Get your resume to stand out. If you are applying online, make sure your resume screams out your skills and experience in the first sentence. And be sure to follow the instructions given on the posting. If the posting tells you to go to the company's website to apply, do it.

2) Be proactive in your job search. Don't just click your resume through. Call the company or contact to follow up. If you are including your resume as an attachment, be sure the file name includes your name. If you have multiple versions of your resume, don't name the file "Smith version 47," or "Johnson Acctg."

3) Include a cover letter with your resume and indicate how your background matches the job specifications. Don't just paste your standard cover letter or career objective into the message box. Include a brief, but compelling description of your experience and qualifications for the job. If you don't know whether the recruiter is a man or woman, address the note "To whom it may concern." Avoid offending a female recruiter with a salutation such as "Dear Sir" or "Gentlemen."

4) When communicating electronically, use the header to your advantage. Write to catch the reader's attention. "Resume attached" achieves nothing. Reference the job number or position, and then tell the recruiter something about yourself, such as "Expert copywriter available for direct mail position." Be sure to include your name. Make yourself familiar to the recruiter.

5) Research the company you are applying to. Demonstrate why you would be a good "fit." Don't just send a generic resume that you send to everyone. Be sure your accomplishments and qualifications match the job description.

6) Do not send functional resumes. They confuse the reader and make him/her work too hard to get the basic information. Use a chronological format, starting with your most recent position. If there are employment gaps, explain this in your cover note and describe what you have been doing since your last position. Whether you took time off to travel to Europe, take care of an elderly parent or care for young children, it's best to provide a reason for the gap. If you have done freelance or part-time work since your last job, that's much better than leaving the recruiter wondering.

7) Do not provide a list of achievements out of context. The recruiter is looking for a candidate that is the best fit for the open position. If you can't show how your experience relates to the job requirements, don't apply.

8) Do make your resume clear and easy to read. Don't mix and match font sizes and styles. A recruiter may have to review hundreds of resumes. If yours is difficult to read or hard to follow, it will likely be discarded early in the process.