The Internet gives you access to a vast amount of information, making it easy for job hunters to research and apply to jobs online. Before you start with your online job hunting, you should make an effort in strategizing your application to have a better chance of securing an interview. We’ll give eight tips on how to apply for a job online. Let’s start!
1. Create or update your resume
Before you start to apply for a job online, you need to create or update your resume first. Your resume should include your current contact information and employment history. A typical resume includes:
- Contact information or header
This is composed of your name, phone number, email address, location, and extra information like LinkedIn or skype ID, only if relevant.
This is the brief professional statement that sits atop your resume. It is the short statement at the beginning of your resume that describes your experience, expertise, and professional achievement.
- Skills
This should be composed of your soft skills and hard skills.
- Professional work experience
It includes companies you worked for, locations of the companies, employment dates, job titles, responsibilities and impact, promotions, personalized awards, and recognitions.
- Education
You should start with your highest degree first and all other degrees in reverse-chronological order.
- Reference list
This provides contact to employers to enable them to authenticate your professional history and background information.
You also need to prepare for your cover letter. Your cover letter will serve as your introduction to the employer, stating your intention and why they should hire you.
2. Set up a job search email account
It is always a good idea to separate your job hunt activities from your work and other personal activities. If you are still employed and looking for a new job, it is important that you hunt for jobs discreetly. Using your work or company email address in sending email applications might just cause you future headaches and troubles.
Have you also done an audit on your email address? You must avoid unprofessional email addresses to search for jobs. Examples of unprofessional email addresses include foxylady@, cutegirl@, or bacardigirl@.
Use your name to your email address that is more professional and appropriate for business, e.g., Firstname.Lastname@.
3. Create or update your professional profile networking accounts and job sites
Some employers and companies prefer looking at job applications on professional platforms rather than a resume. Therefore, it would help if you create an account on different major job search platforms.
Your professional profile is as important as your resume if you are looking for a job online. Most employers use professional networking sites to find candidates. Job seekers who failed to create and update their professional networking presence may receive fewer job inquiries.
Are you interested to learn how to write an effective resume and optimize your LinkedIn profile? Take the Resume Writing (CV) And LinkedIn Profile Optimization online course now and entice recruiters to click on your profile.
Monster, CareerBuilder, and Dice are just some of the several online job search platforms. Creating an account on a job search website will help you find a lot of job listings. Employers are taking advantage of the Internet’s power as they go digital in posting and recruiting for jobs. Thus, job seekers should be proficient at performing an online job search.
4. Use keywords in your job search
Keywords are words or terms that are related to the type of job you are searching for. Using keywords, you can narrow down your job search, and all the positions containing the keywords you have entered will only be listed in the search results.
For example, if you are searching for a copyediting job, you can use copy editing as your keyword. You can also add your desired location and other search criteria, like your skill set.
You can also use keywords in your cover letter and resume, increasing your chances of getting selected for an interview. Recruiters and hiring managers use keywords when going through their database of resumes using tools, such as the applicant tracking system (ATS).
Finding the right job keywords for your cover letter and resume is not that difficult. You just need to find similar job listings on the job search platforms, list the common keywords (like skills and other job requirements), and use those in your job cover letter and resume.
5. Make sure that your job application is error-free
You need to ensure that your resume, cover letter, content, or email are accurate and free from mistakes, i.e., grammar, spelling, layout, etc. Paying attention to the finer details of the job applications will increase your chances of getting an interview.
Spelling and grammar mistakes make you look unprofessional on job applications. Check if your name is spelled correctly, as well as the company’s name and the person you are addressing your job application. Pay attention to the details on the job posting, which includes the contact information, to ensure that you show respect to the person reading your job application.
6. Send your application
Before you hit the “apply” button on job search platforms or send an email application, it is important that you follow the job application instructions. This is one of the reasons why some applicants don’t hear back about their application.
You need to read carefully, double-check the instructions and requirements, and make sure that you applied correctly. For example, there are some applications where the employer states in the job posting that applicants must submit their resume and cover letter through their application portal instead of email. If you are sending your application through email, you must know how to professionally introduce yourself in an email.
7. Follow up on your job application
Sending your application and hearing nothing can be frustrating and discouraging. If you have applied for a job that you have not heard from the recruiter and hiring manager in two weeks, or a month, you can follow up on them.
However, sending follow-up messages is like treading on very thin ice. You should not sound impolite or pushy. First, you need to review the job posting as some employers explicitly state that they do not want you to reach out to them about your application status until their due date.
8. Keep applying to jobs online
Finding the (right) job takes time. There are so many job opportunities, but sometimes it takes months before you hear back from the recruiter or hiring manager. Maintaining motivation and continuing with your job search can be your biggest challenge, especially when dealing with rejection. Remain confident and just keep applying to jobs online until you find the job for you.
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