7 Tips on Online Job Searching

Job searching online has become extremely popular over the past few years, and already thousands of people have started to participate. This makes it fairly difficult for one to get noticed among the stifling piles of resumes employers receive in their inboxes. Here are a few hints that might help you succeed in landing your dream job through online job listing sites.

1. Be prepared. Always have an updated resume before hitting the job search sites, or even before you’re looking for a new job. You never know when a good opportunity is heading your way.

2. Don’t wait. Once a posting has been submitted, there is no way of knowing exactly how many other people have seen it before you. Do not hesitate to send over an email to the employer once you’ve found something that interests you.

3. Look over older postings. Most searchers only read over the most recent submissions and disregard the ones that lie in other pages after the first one. A job posting that was posted over a month ago does not make it any less of a good opportunity; it means positions are still available and companies are still looking for qualified people. Also, if everyone else is more interested in the postings that were submitted a few days ago, there is less competition over the older ones.

4. Use keywords. Large companies sort their resumes through an applicant tracking system. Be very specific about your skills, as most recruiters are looking for a certain set of abilities that correspond with the position and will search keywords accordingly. Also be sure not to make any typos. Not only does it make the candidate look less professional, but the program does not pick up misspelled words.

5. Follow directions. When reading over a job posting, look out for specific directions that the employer states. This might include typing something in the subject line of an email, or sending your resume in the body of the email. The inability to follow instructions immediately points out an unqualified applicant.

6. Customize your resume. Don’t blindly send your resume for every posting you come across. Hiring managers are more likely to consider you if your resume shows specific interest and abilities that apply to their particular company. Take time to adjust your resume so that it relates to each individual position.
(Avoid common resume mistakes! This includes height, weight, salary history, or a picture. Only include these things if the company specifically asks for them).

7. Follow through. If you still haven’t gotten a response after applying for a job, make a call or send an email to make sure they received your resume and to once again affirm your interest in the position. Eighty-two percent of executives said job seekers should contact hiring managers within two weeks of submitting application materials.