Increasingly, connecting with employers is done electronically, which presents new challenges to the job seeker. Consider the following guidelines as you manage your on-line job search.
Applying via E-mail
- Establish a professional, formal email account name, avoiding words or phrases that will undercut your credibility.
- Follow instructions, i.e. referencing job code numbers in the header.
- Use a short but meaningful subject header which includes your name.
- Send your resume and cover letter in the body of the email. You may also make them attachments, but not all employers will be willing to open such documents.
- Write your correspondence as a formal letter, using an appropriate salutation and not using emoticons or all capital letters.
- Use a standard font such as Times or Arial and do not use the Tab key, bold or italics .
- Replace bulleted items with standard keyboard symbols such as an asterisk (*) or a dash (-).
- Edit lines to 65 characters or fewer and allow lines to wrap naturally.
- Include a section of "Key Words" communicating skills and areas of knowledge.
- Proof your work just as you would hard-copy correspondence.
On-line Applications
- Follow company-specific web site instructions, but be cautious in providing personal information such as social security number.
- Review as much of the application site as is allowed to avoid entering information in an incorrect or less appropriate section and to plan your entry of your qualifications.
- Complete all fields, even those that are not required.
- Be aware of when your application is submitted; some sites allow you to enter data in stages with a final submit option.
- Proof your work just as you would hard-copy.
- Target your information to the individual company and the specific position, using words found in the job description wherever possible.
- Submit applications for each job of interest, updating your profile as appropriate.
- Use key words found in the job description in your qualifications and in fields requesting such a summary.
- Follow-up with employers on specific openings just as if hard-copy been sent.
Husker Hire Link
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Your On-line Image
Protect your professional image on-line. Employers are looking for honesty, integrity and wisdom as well as your professional and academic skills. Increasingly, employers are researching the on-line presence of potential hires.
Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and other social networking websites can be a valuable tool in networking, but require careful and wise use. When used well, social networking can help you develop and maintain contacts, promote your strenghths, skills and career interests and generate new opportunities.
Utilizing social networking to the best end means being consistent and professional in the information you present. Be sure to include the same accurate and complete information about yourself across all the sites you utilize. Activate privacy settings carefully and to be safe, never post or link to content that you would not want a potential employer to see.