Job Search Online

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This guide was developed for participants in job training classes at Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries/2100 Lakeside Men's Shelter in Cleveland, Ohio. It also accompanies the training "Transitioning Students to the GED and Beyond" in the Learning for Life Starter Kit.

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Content

2009
Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry Angelo Anderson

[SEARCH FOR JOBS ONLINE]
This guide was developed for residents of an emergency men’s shelter in Cleveland, Ohio for their job readiness program. It describes what to do before searching, how to communicate through email, formatting resumes to post online, reviews popular job search websites, and includes a list of resources.

Search for Jobs Online by Angelo Anderson

Contents
Search for Jobs Online by Angelo Anderson.....................................................2 Contents........................................................................................................... 2 Before You Start Your Search...........................................................................4 Managing Your Search..................................................................................4 Create a Schedule......................................................................................5 Bookmarks/Favorites..................................................................................6 Protect Your Information............................................................................6 Using Your Browser History........................................................................6 Email Do’s and Don’ts...................................................................................6 Email Address............................................................................................6 Rules for Responding.................................................................................7 Subject Lines..............................................................................................8 Resume Formats...........................................................................................9 Word.......................................................................................................... 9 Plain Text.................................................................................................10 Fax........................................................................................................... 10 Social Networking ....................................................................................................................... 11 Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and MySpace.......................................................11 LinkedIn.......................................................................................................12 Create a Job Search Log ....................................................................................................................... 13 2

Research Job Postings....................................................................................13 Assess the Job Site......................................................................................13 Evaluate the Employer................................................................................14 Top Internet Job Search Sites ....................................................................................................................... 14 Career Builder.............................................................................................15 Monster.......................................................................................................15 Hot Jobs.......................................................................................................15 USA Jobs......................................................................................................15 Indeed......................................................................................................... 16 Cleveland Plain Dealer................................................................................16 Ohio Means Jobs..........................................................................................16 Other Ohio Newspapers..............................................................................16 Craig’s List Caution.....................................................................................16 Posting Your Resume Online..........................................................................17 Creating Your Profile...................................................................................17 Search Agents.............................................................................................18 Cover Letters...............................................................................................18 Uploading Documents.................................................................................19 References..................................................................................................19 Target Specific Employers..............................................................................19 Resources Cover Letter Help...........................................................................................20 Resume Help...............................................................................................20 3

General Job Search Help .................................................................................................................... 21 Over 50 Job Search Help .................................................................................................................... 22

Before You Start Your Search
Looking for a job is a full time job. Managing your job search is a daunting task. You need to know how to use the Internet to find jobs, research employers, and respond to job postings. There are over 40,000 employment-related sites now operating on the Internet, and new sites launch every week. They include well known national job boards as well as smaller, specialty sites that focus on a specific career field, industry or geographic location. Whatever your background or experience, you’re sure to find a number of sites that can help you achieve your employment objective. In fact, there are so many options offering so many different features and services that it's easy to overlook some of the sites that might be most helpful to you. The most important thing to understand is that you are in control of your job search. You are in control of the perception employers have of you. It’s your responsibility to manage every aspect of your job search. This course will cover the Internet portion of your job search. We’ll first cover the things you need to do before you go online and start posting your resume. You’ll need to be informed and organized. The more you know and the better organized you are, the better chance you will have of finding the right job.

Managing Your Search
Time isn’t the only thing you need to manage. You are responsible for managing your online reputation, contacts, networks, job postings, schedule, time, and career. Make sure you are organized. Automate the process as

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much as possible by creating RSS Feeds, search agents, and a search schedule. Automate, automate, automate. As much as you can make happen automatically, the better your search campaign will be. Save yourself as much time as possible. First, set aside time each day to spend job searching. If at all possible, do this in a quiet area with the least amount of distractions. It will help you avoid making mistakes.

Create a Schedule
Your search will seem less chaotic and stressful if you are organized. You should create a schedule for your job search efforts. For instance, you may start your morning by spending an hour or two reading your email to see if you have any leads, reading your search agent results and RSS Feeds, and visiting a few web sites. Then, take a break. Walk away from your computer for awhile. You might want to spend some more time in the afternoon searching a few more sites and end with reading your email. It is easy to get side tracked while job searching. Stick to your schedule as much as possible. This will help you keep stress at bay. Simply being organized will help you eliminate stress. A sample schedule is below: Monday Mornin g
Email CSU Hot Jobs

Tuesday
Email USA Jobs Plain Dealer Monster Metro Health Email

Wednesda y
Email Hyland Key Bank Career Builder Higher Ed Jobs Email

Thursday
Email Cleveland Clinic PNC NEORSD Nestle-Stouffer Email

Friday
Email City of Cleveland Indeed Jones Day Lube Stop Email

Afterno on

Ohio Means Jobs Time Warner Email

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Bookmarks/Favorites
Use bookmarks or favorites to help speed things along. Whenever you find a site that you want to revisit, bookmark it; save the site as a favorite. Edit the page title before you save the site to help you find it later. You can organize your job search links further into folders. Organize your links in a method that works for you. You can organize them by type of site, day of week you search the site, etc.

Protect Your Information
It is your responsibility to protect your identity, your reputation and your personal information. Before posting any personal information on a website you should ensure that your information is protected. Read the privacy policy of the site. Links to this can usually be found along the bottom of the page. Never post your Social Security Number or Date of Birth unless you are absolutely certain that the job site is legitimate. If given the option, always choose to not allow your information to be shared with third parties

Using Your Browser History
When you are job searching it’s a good idea to record the page where you found the job posting. If you forget to record the page, file the information or bookmark the page, you may still be able to find the job posting in your history. Should you be granted an interview you’ll want to review the job description in advance.

Email Do’s and Don’ts
Your email address says a lot about you. It is the first impression you make with an employer. It is read before your message. This is not the place to be creative. Let’s cover some specific things to keep in mind when using email for job searching.

Email Address
Do you have a professional email address? If not, get one. Your email address is the first thing that a prospective employer sees when you apply for a job. It is best to use your name as your email address. There are a variety of options. Even for John Michael Smith. For instance: johnsmith@ jsmith@ john-smith@ jmsmith@ johnmsmith@ john.smith@ smith.john@ john_smith@ johnmichaelsmith@ john_michael_smith@ 6

smithjohn@

j.m.smith@

You get the idea. You don’t want to apply for a job with partyanimal@ or sexylady@ or radicalskater@ or marysgirl@ or garfield420@. It’s okay to use those email addresses for your friends but not when job searching. Do not use your birth date, street address, or age as part of your email address. You need to protect your privacy and you don’t want to give away information that could be used to discriminate. You can get a free email address at several different websites. It is recommended that you use one of these free email sites for your job search. If you use an email account from your ISP (Internet Service Provider), such as roadrunner.com, windstream.com, cox.net, etc., and later move or change providers you may miss job opportunities. NEVER use an email address from your current employer. Here are a few places to visit to sign up for a free email account: Microsoft Live – Hotmail: www.hotmail.com Google Gmail – www.gmail.com Yahoo! Mail – www.yahoo.com AOL Mail - https://new.aol.com/freeaolweb/ If you use another email service, do not use one that has a quirky name or hasn’t been around for several years. If the site goes out of business you’ll lose your point of contact and your search history. You’ll also want to make sure you can attach documents. You’ll need to be able to attach your resume, references, transcripts, etc. If you use the same email software (Outlook, Thunderbird, LotusNotes, etc.) for personal and professional emailing, make sure you set the default email account to your professional email address. If you have a mix-up and use your professional address to send a message to a friend there’s no harm done. Use your personal email address to apply for a job and you risk having your application discarded, at the very least, it will bring a snicker to the employer who receives it.

Rules for Responding
Whether you are responding to the job advertisement or an email message from a prospective employer you must remember that it is a professional communication. Avoid using slang, acronyms, and “I”. The same basic rules for applying for a job still remain. Be courteous, spell check your messages, double check before clicking the “Send” button. Once the message is sent you cannot get it back. 7

The body of your email message should be the same as the cover letter or a snail mail letter you would send. You’ll want to include your snail mail address, the date, the employer’s full address, the contact’s name and title, a proper salutation, and closing. Use correct spelling and grammar. Use virus protection software. The last thing you want to do is send a resume to a prospective employer that contains a virus. There are many virus protection software applications available. Most have a free trial version available but will charge you a fee after the trial has expired. Examples are: Norton, Computer Associates, McAfee, and Trend Micro. Not one of them will block everything that comes across your computer. Be smart about where you go and what you download. If you cannot afford the software you can get a fairly decent freeware virus protection application from AVG at: http://free.avg.com/ Always keep a copy of the email messages you have sent to apply for jobs in the “Sent Folder”. This can be configured in your email application or email service’s options or preferences menu. Each one is different. Look around and find this feature so it will happen for you automatically. Lastly, you should regularly check your Junk Mail Folder. Quite often your email client will mistakenly tag an employer’s email as Junk or Spam. You don’t want to miss an opportunity.

Subject Lines
When your email arrives in the employer’s email Inbox there are only a few things visible to the reader. Your email address, your name, the date sent, and the email message Subject Line. These are the usual defaults for most email applications and services. This is the first impression you leave on the employer. We’ve already discussed using a professional email address. Now let’s focus on the subject line. Always read the job posting. Some jobs may require that you use specific information in the Subject Line. This could be a job title, a job number or a job identifier. If this is required the subject line is a nobrainer. Do what they ask you to do. If it is not specified it is best to use the Job Position/Job Title in the Subject Line. This will immediately notify the recipient as to why you are communicating with them. Human Resource employees, recruiters and hiring managers may be looking to fill more than one position. Make it easy for them to handle your job submission and direct it to the appropriate personnel. This will also make it easier for you to find in your “Sent Folders” if you need to locate your application at a later date. When the employer calls you for an interview you’ll want to review your submission. Make it easy 8

on yourself too.

Resume Formats
All sites are not created equal. The biggest complaint from job seekers is the lack of consistency between job and employer job search sites. One place may ask for a Word document, another for a text document, and another wants you to complete an online form. This is definitely the step where you will spend most of your time and will create most of your frustration. It is very time consuming to fill out form after form. Think of your job search as a production line. Make applying for jobs the most streamlined process you can possibly create. Having your resume readily available in a variety of formats will help avoid snags in your application process and help you work more efficiently. You may also want to consider having more than one version of your resume. This would depend on your skills and types of jobs you are searching. The skill sets may be different for the two jobs and you might want to focus on these skills for one resume but not the other. For instance, if I was looking for a job I might want a version that features my skills as a project manager for applying for project management jobs. However, I may also look for jobs as a web designer. The skills needed for a web designer are much different than those for a project manager. I would create two resumes. One that features my project management strengths and the other that features my web design strengths. Most job search sites allow you to maintain several resume versions.

Word
If the job site asks you to upload a resume, most likely they are going to ask for a Microsoft Word Document (.doc or .docx). If you do not have the Microsoft Office Suite You can download a free trial version from the Microsoft website by visiting: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/HA101741481033.aspx But this is only a temporary solution. The other option is to use Open Office. This is a free Open Source answer to Microsoft Office. Over the years this community created application has become extremely robust and user-friendly. Visit: www.openoffice.org to download the package. Open Office allows you to save your documents in Microsoft formats. In other words, you can create your resume in Open Office and save it as a Microsoft Word Document.

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Plain Text
More and more employers are using forms for job applications or requesting text documents. These formats make it much easier for an employer to search and share the applications. It makes the process much easier for them because everyone’s submissions will be uniform…to some extent. Just as you are trying to streamline your application process, employers are attempting to streamline the selection process. They are automating the process, just like you. Nobody has enough time! Many of the forms used are identical. Some even use the same third party software applications or central hub for managing employment opportunities. Brass Ring is a good example of a third party application. Another example would be the newly revised CSU Job Search site. Visit: https://hrjobs.csuohio.edu/ Click on “Search Postings”. Now open a new tab or window and visit: http://tinyurl.com/y9rcb5v Look the same? You’ll find this application used all over the Internet, not just in higher education. While it is time consuming for the job seeker to fill out form after form, it is timesaving for the employer. It is much easier to find candidate details, compare candidate qualifications, and make the hiring decision when the information is uniform. To help you save time you should create a resume in plain text format. You can do this in Word or Open Office. Let’s open a sample resume in Word format and see how this works. Open the sample resume and save it as a text document (a save option). You’ll then want to go through the document and remove all special formatting such as bullets, underlines, etc. All text should be left justified. Detailed information for creating a text resume can be found here: http://www.rileyguide.com/eresprep.html Now that you’ve created a plain text resume, you’ll want to use this document to Cut [Ctrl+C] & Paste [Ctrl+V] into forms. As you are applying for jobs that use forms, make note of fields that are not contained in your text resume. Create a separate text document that contains this information. Open Notebook (a free application that comes with all Windows operating systems). Save it as: text_form_info.txt or something similar. Add to this as you need to make your job hunt run smoother.

Fax
Some employers ask you to fax your information. If you are still using a dialup connection you most likely have a fax modem. This is an easy process for you. Follow instructions for your computer and its software for sending a fax. 10

However, if you are using a broadband connection your fax modem is useless. You can take your printed documents to an office supply store, library or other establishment that will fax documents for you, usually for a fee. You can also search options for fax solutions if you use Voice Over IP (VoIP) for your phone service or software to convert and send documents for you, such as eFax.

Social Networking
There are a variety of opinions and a lot of hype about social networking sites. As with anything you post on the Internet, caution is advised. Not one social networking site is 100% secure. Most are unconcerned with your privacy. People you call friends today could be bitter enemies tomorrow. It’s up to you to guard your information and protect your reputation. People erroneously believe that if they make their pages or spaces private that only a handful of selected people will have access to that information. That’s only as true as the limitations of the most devious hacker, angered friend, or misguided acquaintance. Visit this page: http://www.starmagazine.com/news/15177 Do you believe that this pic was originally posted on a public website? How did it get in the hands of the press? Or, what do you think about this Twitter mishap? Visit: http://tinyurl.com/ls933n. It didn’t take long for this little tweet to go viral. Do your friends post and label personal pics online? What if a friend is angered with you and wants to retaliate? The reasons why you could find yourself in a compromising position are endless. One way to make sure it never happens is to avoid the risk in total.

Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and MySpace
If you are on any of these sites, do not consider them for job searching at all. You should at least use the highest privacy settings available and make sure people outside your circle cannot search for you or contact you. Be very careful about what you have posted & who you friend or follow. Check through all your history, pictures, and contacts and delete anything that could be used against your job search. Employers frequently check these sites to see what they can find on prospective employees. Also recognize that anything you post can be shared by your friends & family, so be very careful about what you share! If you have posted a lot of compromising information, then remove all content & close your accounts. Explain why you are doing this to friends & family and use other means to communicate.

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Never make a prospective employer your personal “friend.” Legitimate employers do not post jobs on these sites. A prospective employer doesn’t need to know one thing about how you spend your personal, private time. You are not going to find a job on these sites and that is your main focus right now. Additionally, these sites are not as secure as they should be. Make sure you have the highest levels of security on your computer and be careful of all links because you can easily pick up viruses and trojans, unknowingly divulge private information, or leave your computer vulnerable to outside attacks or hijacking. Do not consider these websites as tools for job searching, and consider if they might harm you.

LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the social networking exception for job seekers; it is a businessrelated social networking site. For a job seeker LinkedIn is a must. You’ll want to spend some time on this site. As an example, let’s look at my LinkedIn Page(s). Visit: http://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiadenysecastle If you are connected to me you can see more information, gain access to all of my connections, and make requests to be connected (read: introduced). This is a great place for you to network, join groups, look for jobs, obtain job search tips, and much more. One of the first things you’ll want to do on the site, after you get your profile online, is connect with everyone you know. You can upload your contact list and start from there. Look for people and add them to your network. Search for people you have worked with in the past. Ask people who are familiar with your work to recommend you. Join groups that are in your industry or preferred profession. Groups are where you are most likely to see job openings. However, your main reason for having a presence on LinkedIn is to network. The site is full of information on using the LinkedIn to meet your needs. Again, as with all things Internet, use a bit of logic and common sense when joining groups. Do not join a political group (unless you are a democrat looking for a job in politics with a democratic candidate or organization). You’ll also want to avoid groups that link you to a religion, radical movement, and anything that could be misinterpreted or used to discriminate. NORML would be a good example of a bad selection. A prospective employer can view the groups to which you belong. Don’t give them a trivial reason to reject you or discriminate.

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Create a Job Search Log
It’s important to keep track of your job search activities. Employers may post the same job on several job boards. How embarrassing would it be to apply for the same job twice? You need to take the time to manage your job search. It may take some time to make entries but it will pay off when you get the call for an interview. This log will help jog your memory about the position you applied for, the job requirements, when you applied, etc. It is the history of your job search. Many of the job search sites will also keep a history of applications for you. However, when you get the call for an interview do you want to spend time searching every site you visit or just open your log, find when and where you applied, and easily access the job details? Save time and energy whenever possible.

Research Job Postings Assess the Job Site
There are a million scams out there. Beware! Remember, you are giving someone your personal information that could be used against you. Guard it. Here are some tips to help spot and avoid scams. • Is their contact information easy to find and visible? Can you call them? What’s their physical address? Who are the owners of the site? If you cannot find this information within a few seconds of visiting their site, leave the site. There should be a visible “Contact Us” link. This can usually be found in the navigation or at the bottom of the page. Are they asking for money? If the answer is “Yes”, leave the site. No legitimate web job search site will ask you to send them money. It’s a scam. An estimated 96% of “Work at Home” job postings are scams. Avoid them. They approached you because your skills match their need. Be careful. They might just be looking for more information to try to hook you. Up to $3,000 a week schemes are just that, schemes. You are not going to get rich quick on the Internet. Sure, if you are at the top of 13



• •



their pyramid scheme you might make a lot of money, until you are arrested. What are they NOT telling you? Read the fine print. • The job search site cannot ensure that every company that posts jobs is legitimate. Most search sites make money charging employers a fee to list jobs. If a website offers free resume search to employers, it is a scam. They are not protecting your information. Not every job posting represents a legitimate job. Assess the job posting. It may just be a recruiter looking for leads. It may be someone looking to steal an identity. Be careful. Research every company if you are not personally familiar with the company and its reputation. Review the site’s privacy policy. Just because they have one doesn’t mean it is a good one. Protect your information. NEVER give out pre-screening information over the Internet. If you get an email asking you for a copy of a driver’s license or social security card, your mother’s maiden name, etc., ignore it. This is the type of information that should only be given in person. It is a fallacy to believe that you can trust the email message if the email address looks legitimate. Scammers can mask the true email address. If you reply, where is the message being sent? Mouse over any links in the email message before clicking. You should see the true link. This is an easy way to get viruses. Be careful.



• •



Evaluate the Employer
You need a job. But do you need a job that costs you money, causes you grief, or lands you in jail? Every good employer will take the time to perform some research on you. They are not limited to the resume, profile and cover letter. As we discussed, they are going to “Google” you, look for you on Facebook, etc. You need to be just as smart in choosing where you will work. Research the company. They are going to put their best foot forward in their job ads, on their website, and in their literature. Is that the whole story? What do employees say about working there? Are they under investigation? What’s their reputation? Google them!

Top Internet Job Search Sites
There are literally thousands of job search sites. Where should you start? Which ones should you definitely include? Which ones should you avoid? 14

First of all, you can’t go wrong with the top search sites. Yes, your competition is stiffer on them due to the sheer volume of job seekers. But they are also the most populated with job opportunities. You’ll want to learn how to use these sites to make the most of your time. Listed below are the top sites you’ll want to make part of your search. Keep in mind what we learned about scams and headhunters. Let’s take a quick scan of each of them.

Career Builder
Careerbuilder.com is a worldwide job search site that includes jobs from every field imaginable. Visit: www.careerbuilder.com. This site also contains many features to help you manage your search and provides much information to aid you in your search. It’s also full of a lot of garbage. Search and apply carefully.

Monster
Monster.com is one of the oldest and most robust international job search sites on the Internet. Visit: www.monster.com. The site is full of useful information to help you make the most of your job search including tips for interviewing, networking, resume writing and more. Like all large sites, it too is full of garbage. Pay attention.

Hot Jobs
Hotjobs.com is owned and operated by Yahoo! It’s been around for a long time. Rarely will you find high-level jobs posted here and mid-level jobs are becoming a scarcity. You will find a lot of entry-level jobs, food service jobs, factory jobs, clerical jobs and other service position openings on this site. Visit: www.hotjobs.com . This site is loaded with garbage so read before applying.

USA Jobs
If you want to work for the government, this is the place for you. Most Federal government jobs are posted on this site. It is a sister site to Monster.com strictly for US government jobs. The website can be found at: http://www.usajobs.gov/ The US Government is the largest employer in the United States and is definitely hiring. Even though this is a sister site to Monster, you will still have to re-enter all of your information. Additionally, many of the government agencies will require that you register at their own site. You may also be required to answer job specific questions called KSAs (Knowledge, Skills & Abilities questionnaire). Some are multiple choice questions and some are short to medium answer questions. Be prepared. 15

Type your responses into a word processing application, such as Word, so you can spell check your submissions. You can then just cut and paste your responses from the document into fields in the KSA form.

Indeed
Indeed is a great search site in that it will search several job sites for you and feed back to you those results. Visit: http://www.indeed.com/ Indeed scrubs websites to find job postings. Their process spiders private company employer sites, job search sites, and other agency sites. This can save you some time and find jobs you might not otherwise find in your search. You can create an Indeed RSS Feed.

Cleveland Plain Dealer
Nearly every job that is listed in the hard copy format of the Cleveland Plain Dealer can be found on the website. Visit: http://www.cleveland.com/jobs/ This site also allows you to create and maintain a profile on their site. Many employers allow you to apply using your profile. Others will ask for the usual methods of submission (email, snail mail, fax).

Ohio Means Jobs
This site lists all jobs openings for the State of Ohio and most jobs openings from Workforce Development offices. The website is found at: https://ohiomeansjobs.com/omj/ You will find jobs posted here that are not posted elsewhere. This is a must for anyone looking for a job in Ohio.

Other Ohio Newspapers
This page contains a listing of links to all newspapers in the State of Ohio with links to their websites. Visit sites that interest you and search on Job Postings or Classifieds. Visit this site for the listing: http://www.usnpl.com/ohnews.php

Craig’s List Caution
Some companies, particularly smaller companies, will use sites like Craig’s List to post jobs because it’s free. Many people now look at Craig’s List for job postings. Use extreme caution when using Craig’s List. It’s a case of a few bad apples spoiling the whole bunch. Free does not necessarily equate to good. While you may find a few decent job postings from legitimate and reputable companies, more often than not, you will find garbage and maybe trouble. There is absolutely no monitoring on this site. You can wage a complaint when you find a problem, the post may be removed but it will usually reappear the next day. The owner accepts no responsibility for anything that 16

occurs on their site or stems from a post on their site. Extensively research any company posting jobs on this site before applying. This site is used for trolling and nefarious endeavors. A large percentage of posters remain anonymous, even those looking for employees. If an employer is not willing to share their information with you, why should you share yours with them? Never send your resume to an unknown person or entity. Blind ads are not acceptable in today’s age no matter where the job is listed.

Posting Your Resume Online Creating Your Profile
Each of the job search sites will be a little different but they are all basically going to gather the same information. You are going to select responses from a list of items or you are going to type text into a text field. This is where the plain text resume will be extremely useful. There is no formatting of any kind in your plain text document so information entered into these fields will not be skewed or presented in a sloppy manner. If you were to cut and paste directly from the Word or Open Office document some of the formatting would carry over and you will end up with extra spaces and lines and ASCII characters. Your profile will include an objective statement, work experience, education, organizations and memberships, goals, and more. You’ll need to decide where you want to look for a job. How far does your search extend? Do you want to be contacted by recruiters? Pay attention to each question and give it some thought. When an employer pulls up your profile you want them to see the best things that you have to offer.

Objective Statement
Your resume may or may not include an objective statement. However, your job site profile most likely requires one. Your profile will be read by prospective employers. You need to create a profile that accurately reflects your job experience, career goals, and philosophies. What are you all about? What kind of career do you want to create for yourself? Writing an objective for your resume is covered in other classes. Below are a few guidelines. There are links to sites for helping you write your objective in the Resources section at the end of this manual. • Clearly state your career goals

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• • • •

State what’s in it for the employer (Why are you the best candidate to meet their need?) Be as brief as possible and still include the main points Be forward thinking Be specific and avoid general terms and vagueness

Search Agents
Nearly every job search site will allow you to create Search Agents. You can find them at job search sites and private employer employment sites. Search Agents allow you to create a query that will deliver a list of job opportunities based on the criteria of your query. For instance, you may want to get a daily list from Monster that contains all jobs for a Bank Teller within a 20 mile radius of your home zip code. You will make selections and create and save the query. You have then created a search agent. Some sites will deliver the list to your email account and others will allow you to run the query on their site. Either option will save you time and effort. You will not have to create a new query each time you visit the site. For example, let’s take a look at how queries are set up on USA Jobs website.

Cover Letters
If you want your resume to be read you need to have an excellent cover letter. This is not a place to cut corners. Each letter should be directed to the specific job. There are other courses and seminars to help you with the cover letter so we will only cover it briefly. If you are applying for the job via email your email message should be your cover letter. Do not send a brief note with a cover letter attached. If you have a scanner available you can add an extra touch by scanning your signature and adding it to your letter closing. Below are some basic guidelines for writing cover letters. At the end of this manual, in the Resources section, you will find links to other websites to help you write a great cover letter. • • Use full names, addresses and titles. Include the date, job title and where you found the posting.

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• •

Match your skills to the desired needs of the employer and state this in your letter State why you want to work for this company. Visit the company’s website, read the ‘About Us’ section and find something you like about the company. Tell them how your skill set will benefit the company Spell check and grammar check before sending Double check that the information is correct

• • •

Uploading Documents
Follow directions. Read each site carefully. What format do they want you to send? What method do they prefer? Each site will vary so you need to read and follow the directions. If you have already created your documents in the various formats this will be a snap.

References
As with any method of job application, you should always ask permission before using anyone as a reference. Select people who will be your champions and sing your praises when contacted by a prospective employer. Include their name, title, company name, address, phone number and email address. Verify that their information is correct. Create a separate document for your references. Do not send them if they are not requested. You’ll want a PDF or scanned image of this document for some websites. As mentioned earlier, when working with a headhunter ensure that your references will be contacted solely to obtain information about your work experience.

Target Specific Employers
Where would you like to work? What kind of work are you looking for? Make a list of companies where you would like to work. Find their websites, specifically the place on their site where they post job openings. Bookmark the site and add it to your schedule so you visit it regularly. If you are looking for some new ideas about employers to target, visit the website for your local chamber of commerce. They are a great resource for finding employers. Another source is still the Yellow Pages. Go to www.yellowpages.com and look at the specific category where you would find 19

employers in your chosen field. For instance, if you have experience as bank teller you would look at the Banks classification. If the banking or financial institution has a website Yellow Pages.com will link you in. Go to the company’s website and find out how you can find and apply for jobs on the company’s website.

Resources Cover Letter Help
• • Monster.com – Cover Letter Help & Tips http://career-advice.monster.com/resumes-cover-letters/careers.aspx About.com – Cover Letter Examples and Help http://jobsearch.about.com/od/coverlettersamples/a/coverlettsample.ht m Career Services at Virginia Tech http://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/coversamples.htm



Resume Help
• • • • The OWL at Purdue- Resume Workshop http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/719/01/ Microsoft Office – Resume Templates http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT101043371033.aspx Rockport Institute – How to Write a Masterpiece of a Resume http://www.rockportinstitute.com/resumes.html About.com – Resume Samples, Templates & Help (This site has some job specific resume samples. Lots of information.) http://jobsearch.about.com/od/sampleresumes/a/sampleresume2.htm Resume Examples & Writing Tips http://www.resume-help.org/ Monster.com – Resume Help & Tips http://career-advice.monster.com/resumes-cover-letters/careers.aspx Resume-Help.org - Resume Examples: http://www.resume-help.org/free_resume_examples.htm

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Objective Statement Help
• • • Objective Writing Help http://www.bestsampleresume.com/info/resume-objective.html Customized Resume Objective Gets Better Results http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/gettingthejob/qt/resobj.htm Resume Objective Examples http://business.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Resume_Objective_Examples

Resume Objective Statements http://jobsearch.about.com/od/sampleresumes/a/sampleobjective.htm • • Writing the Perfect Resume Objective – http://www.resume-templates.com/Tips/Objective/

General Job Search Help
• • • • • • The Riley Guide - http://www.rileyguide.com/ Power Job Search Tips With Google – YouTube Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dUuCRPgNcU Tips, sample letters, resumes and more – Microsoft and Monster Help http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/FX103504051033.aspx Using the Right Keywords in Your Job Search - http://tinyurl.com/kvpvr6 Six Signs It’s a Job Scam http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/07/15/cb.avoid.job.scams/ Online Job Search Tips, Tools, and Strategies from About.com – http://jobsearch.about.com/od/findajob/a/onlinejobs.htm • • • Getting in the Door with a Multimedia Resume – http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30484550/ns/business-careers Awesome motivation - http://www.wimp.com/awesomemotivation/ Q&A: Internet job-search expert offers tips http://www.sacbee.com/pfnotebook/story/1717461.html 21

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How to Research Companies - http://www.jobweb.com/pyramid.aspx? id=1017&terms=crowther Listing of all Ohio Newspapers - http://www.usnpl.com/ohnews.php Other sites with job listings - http://www.rileyguide.com/jobs.html Job sites by category - http://www.quintcareers.com/job_resources.html

Over 50 Job Search Help
• • Human Race Horses - 7 Job Search Tips for 50+ Job Seekers http://tinyurl.com/nx39d Job-Hunt.org – Job Hunting Tips and Links http://www.jobunt.org/onlinejobsearchguide/article_jobsearch_over_50.shtml Workforce 50 - Search help and job search site http://www.workforce50.com/ Career Builder - Tips for the Over-50 Job Seeker http://tinyurl.com/y8v228c Quintessential Careers – Lots of articles, advice and tips http://tinyurl.com/y8v228c The Senior Job Bank http://www.seniorjobbank.org/

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