Searching for a job online has both advantages and disadvantages. You can't impress the company with your commanding presence and sparking personality, and very often, you can't even talk to a live person. Online job hunting is effective for reaching out to a variety of employers, however, and saves time in travel and reaching dead-ends. While the number of employers that accept applications only online continues to grow, you can find other ways to stand out among the crowded applicant pool to land a position.
Create a Website
Put technology to work for you, especially with a company that utilizes the Internet to perform such important tasks as hiring. According to CareerBuilder.com, you can impress hiring managers by creating your own website, and linking employers directly to it. Use the space to show off your talents and your creative abilities. Make a pitch with a video describing your talents, and how you will fit in with the company. Make the website easy to navigate. Include links to your work, your goals and how the hiring manager can best contact you.
Receive Alerts
Searching through the various job boards and websites that feature jobs in your field can be time-consuming. Searches often present job openings that are not related to your skills and talents. Save time by signing up for RSS feeds, newsletters and email alerts to contact you when appropriate jobs appear online. Register to receive newsletters from industries in which you want to work. Consider signing up with an online recruiter who can do the searching for you. Online recruiters work on a client-fee base for the most part, although some may require a fee from you to find you a job.
Maintain Privacy
Most online job applications require a significant amount of personal information. Search engines designed to provide available job information also often request details from you to allow access. According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, you should ensure that you are dealing with a reputable website, job board or employer before inputting your personal information. Look for a privacy symbol on the site you are using. You should consider setting up a separate email account for applying for jobs online to prevent spam and unauthorized use of your email address.
Practice on the employer site before you send your final resume to ensure you can delete material, if necessary. Send a query to the source asking about privacy policies, and how you can navigate the site in the future. The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse recommends avoiding sites that do not sufficiently respond to your inquiry.
Member Comments