Since the beginning of the 21st century, job searching has increasingly moved onto the web. These days it is almost commonplace to find yourself expected to apply for jobs online.
Whilst the days of submitting hard copies of your application haven’t completely ended, it is more and more likely you’ll find a job using a keyboard and a mouse. This has simplified the process of looking for work in many ways, although a few important factors can have a big impact on the fate of your application.
To help you get ready for an online job hunt, we’ve prepared a quick and easy guide to help you speed up your search. Read on to find out:
- What you should prepare before applying for a job online
- Where you can find the best online opportunities for your next job
What to Plan Before You Apply
Before you open your browser and start browsing a job portal, there are a few items you’re going to need to prepare. Whilst you can get a quick idea about the sort of openings available initially, it’s important to have a good game plan before you hit apply.
Prepare a Few of Your Top Career Highlights in Advance
For any online or offline job search, it’s always worthwhile to have a think about what you could bring to the next step of your career. Employers are always eager to know what you can do for them so this can be especially important when you are compared against other prospective employees.
It can be helpful to create a list of your most hirable skills and experience so you’ve got something ready to impress with. This can also be a useful way to match your achievements to the job description.
When looking for a new job, it is important you have several accomplishment stories to use on your resume and during job interviews. It is also important that the achievements you share are relevant to the jobs you’re applying for. If you’ve kept customers happy or finished reports on time, you were simply doing your job.
You want to be able to quantify your experience as much as you can. If you’ve done something that has increased sales, or saved time/money, streamlined a process or won an award, it is likely to impress a potential employer.
Tell the story – paint the picture of how you’ve turned a situation around/what would have happened if you hadn’t taken action and how you’ve made it a success. Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or PAR (Problem, Action, Result).
At the end, explain the business impact of your actions. You’d want to include key deliverables, “measurables” and contributions, all described in terms of the employer’s point of view.
Think about what would have been different in each situation without your actions. What would not have happened if you hadn’t been there?
Remember that accomplishments don’t always have to come from paid employment. College students and new grads can look to class projects, work-study, study abroad, sports, volunteer work, internships, summer jobs, and more for accomplishment stories.
Crafting a Compelling Cover Letter
A good cover letter hasn’t changed a great deal since the rise of the internet. It’s still important to use an easy to follow introduction, main body, and conclusion structure and it’s also essential to focus on building a compelling argument for why you’d be a good fit for the job.
But, due to the ever-increasing use of filtering software like ATS the words you use on the page count more than ever. You should make sure you weave in plenty of professional phrases and expressions that show you know your way around the job being advertised and that gives the recruiters confidence in your abilities.
Make your resume ATS friendly
When you apply for jobs online a good resume still pays dividends. There are a few differences to the usual rules of engagement between you and the employer in this new electronic landscape, however.
First of all, get prepared for ATS. Applicant tracking systems can be very strict with who they let pass and can be particularly punitive against unoptimized resumes.
To avoid this fate, use a clean and simple template that is well organized and doesn’t involve too many custom elements like elaborate fonts, graphics, or dividing lines. These will only make the final resume harder for the software to read.
Of course, like any successful personal profile, your document should be highly focused on the sector and type of job you’re targeting. Don’t forget to include practical keywords, KPIs and any hard skills/experiences listed on the job description that you have.
If you’re stuck for ideas with your resume, try reviewing a few of our own professional samples for different types of jobs to get started. Don’t forget, you can also save time on the design by filling out your information in our resume builder tools.
How to Apply for Jobs Online
Fortunately, this is one of the easiest parts of the process. In most cases, the job advert will specify how to make contact with the employer. This will usually involve submitting an electronic copy of your resume and cover letter. However, on occasions, you may need to complete a questionnaire application form as well.
Remember to be selective and only apply if you meet the position’s requirements. It is better to apply for fewer jobs that match your skills set but tailor your application to each job, rather than waste your time filling out applications for jobs you’re not really qualified for.
In some situations, you’ll need to email the hiring manager. Alternatively, the website might be designed for you to complete your application through its own system. Normally you’ll just have to click a button marked “Apply Now” and you’ll be guided through the next steps of the process.
Before you apply, make sure that your application/resume has no spelling and grammar mistakes to improve your chances of getting an interview. Any information you give in your application should be honest and accurate to avoid misunderstandings.
If you want to follow up on your job application, find out how to do it here.
Where to Apply for Jobs Online
One of the best things about looking for work online is that you can do it anywhere. You only need a mobile phone, PC or laptop and you can search to your heart’s content.
It is also very easy to find sources of jobs using the internet. You might yourself be almost tripping over available job searching websites these days. The most popular sites in the US at the moment are:
- Monster
- Indeed
- Glassdoor
- Jooble
- SimplyHired
- LinkUp
In addition to the above, you can also have success using social media sites. Many of the following can be used when browsing for a new position:
Social networks like LinkedIn are more geared toward professional searches. However, more generic platforms like Facebook and Twitter can also prove practical, especially if you are trying to find out more about employers and what they are looking for as well as networking with potential leads.
That said, we might be a few years away from recommending Snapchat or TikTok as job-hunting sources.
The internet has done much to simplify the process of professional networking and job searching.
ResumeCoach can also help make your online journey that little bit simpler. Save time building a stylish and optimized document that employers will respond positively to using our resume generator tools now.
Finally, keep applying. Finding a new job can easily take a few months, so continue applying, networking online and offline until you’ve signed your employment contract.
