Tips & Strategies for Applying Online
by Ross Macpherson, President, Career Quest
Remember the good old days, when job openings were printed in the newspaper, you typed and snail- mailed your resume, and the company would call you back regardless of the results? Well, we all know those days are pretty much behind us.
Applying for positions today requires a combination of both traditional and technological techniques, and it's the latter we're going to try to cover here. Specifically, what are the tips and tricks when applying over the Internet? Unfortunately, technology has not simplified the process, but rather made it even more complicated getting your name in front of the right people.
For this article, I've broken the topic of online applications into 3 categories: Posting Your Resume, Applying to Job Postings, and Completing Electronic Forms (e-forms). Under each category, I've listed a number of tips and tricks to help you navigate this new challenge and maximize your success rate.
The One thing You MUST Have
The very first thing you need to know is that you absolutely MUST have a "plain text" version of your resume. Chances are you created your current resume in Microsoft Word - excellent! You need a nicely formatted Word version, so hang on to it.
What so many people don't realize is that you also need a "plain text" or ASCII version. A text resume is one without any formatting and in a language that can be used across all platforms.
Having a text version of you resume means that you can now include your resume within the body of an email (vs. attaching it) or cut-and-paste your resume into an online e-form without worrying about formatting or compatibility problems (in simple terms, Microsoft Word and the Internet speak different languages, so if you cut-and-paste your Word resume into an e-form, you very often end up with something that looks like a dog's breakfast on the other end. . . not good).
The simplest way to create a text version is to open your Word resume, then click File, Save as, and select "plain text" in the "Save as type" field at the bottom. Close the file and then open the new text file you created. You'll notice that all of the formatting is gone. Just go ahead and tidy things up and you now have a text version to use online.
Posting Your Resume
When posting your resume to a site like Monster, Workopolis, or CareerBuilder, the steps provided at the site are fairly straightforward. However, here are a few extra tips:
- make certain that you "refresh" or re-post your resume
on a regular basis to keep your resume near the top. Very often, when
a company enters search criteria for a resume, the matching resumes
they see first are the ones posted most recently. So, if you posted
your resume 6 months ago, chances are you're way down the list. Regularly
reposting your resume ensures that you stay near the top of the list.
Note: sometimes resume boards will only "refresh" a resume if there are updates to it, so make a subtle change to your resume and then repost. For a nominal fee, some sites even provide a service that gives you priority placement - not a bad investment if it increases your visibility
- don't just post on the big resume boards. There are literally thousands of smaller, more targeted boards that often are more effective because they focus on a specific industry, vocation, or geographic area.
- most boards allow you to post multiple versions of your resume. Take full advantage of this option to tailor resumes to particular types of positions, levels, or industries.
- more and more people are advising that you post a "confidential"
resume in order to protect your privacy and curb identity theft. There
are some very unethical practices out there, and putting your personal
information on the web for everyone to see can be a dangerous practice.
Take advantage of the privacy options that most bigger boards offer,
or consider leaving off your name and phone number to include only a
generic title ("Senior Systems Engineer") and an email address.
Applying to a Specific Posting
- first and foremost, be sure to follow the instructions provided in the posting. If they want you to attach a Word copy of your resume, submit by email, or go to their website, then do so - that's how the company is set up to receive resumes. I've had clients think that they're being proactive by couriering or hand delivering resumes instead of following the instructions. . . not a good idea. At the very least, follow their instructions first and then state that you will be following up in person.
- if you are "attaching" your resume, be sure that the resume filename includes your full name, not "My Resume" or "Resume Ver#4".
- also, when applying by email, be certain to include the job title and/or reference number in the Subject line.
- don't attach a separate cover letter. . . chances are they'll never open it. Make the body of the email itself your cover letter and use it to quickly and aggressively wow them with your qualifications. Then you can refer them to the attached or enclosed resume (see next point).
- if you are emailing your resume, consider sending both a text version and a Word version (especially when sending to recruiters). Simply state in the email something like "For your convenience, I have attached a Word version of my resume and included a text version that follows below". Then cut-and- paste the text version after your message. This technique ensures that they always receive a version they can open, and the text version can also go quickly into their database without needing to be opened, printed, and scanned.
Completing e-Forms
These tips can apply to e-forms used to post your resume as well as those used to apply for specific positions:
- don't be tempted to quickly complete and submit your form without careful attention. Take you time and double check for content and errors. You may even want to print off the form and work on the hard copy as a trial. And before you submit it, print off a copy for your files.
- many e-forms have both compulsory and optional fields. Complete the required fields, but use caution when completing the optional fields - seriously weigh whether your response will improve your chances, or limit them.
- leave the salary field blank, if possible. Employers only use this information to screen you OUT at this point. If the salary field is "required", then you will have to put something down, and I'd recommend you use a well-researched figure or range.
- don't specify "ideal job" or "ideal company" or "ideal company size." Leave it blank, or say "no preference", and you'll be considered for all of them (besides, what YOU want is irrelevant to them at this point in the process, so it can only work against you)
- never include your References. If the company wants to contact them, they'll ask you directly. You need to respect your references' right to privacy online.
- be very specific and targeted when listing "skills" as these are usually the keywords used by employers. For example, say "Microsoft Word and Excel" over "Microsoft Office". When listing your keywords, do your research, look at ads for your type of position, and be sure you are using the same phraseology.
- make full use of any "Additional Information" section. This is where you can showcase additional unique value or experience you can add that could give you the edge. In fact, you can even indicate a LACK of interest in a particular type of position (for example, politely note that you do not wish to be contacted for insurance or high tech positions).
- consider making your own dedicated file with a list of your best answers to specific e-form questions. As long as you also save this file in "plain text", this will speed up your application process dramatically as you won't have to compose from scratch every time (just cut-and-paste).
For many, the technology behind applying online has compounded the complexity of looking for their next job, and probably increased their stress levels as well. Not to fear.
Remember, the Internet is only ONE tool in your job search, and not always the most effective to be truthful. By all means use it, but don't feel the need to rely upon it. And when you do apply online, take your time, consider how and what you are saying, and use the tips provided here to help maximize your results.
Best of luck!
© 2004 Ross Macpherson
About the Author
Ross Macpherson is the President of Career Quest, a Certified Professional Resume Writer, and a Career Success Coach who has helped thousands of motivated professionals advance their careers. To receive more valuable career advice, sign up to join his monthly newsletter "Career Accelerator" by visiting www.yourcareerquest.com.
NOTE: You're more than welcome to "reprint" this article online as long as it remains intact and unaltered (including the "About the Author" info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to ross@yourcareerquest.com
