Stand out Online to Land the Job
Denene Brox, for Yahoo! HotJobs, Yahoo! HotJobs
As a job seeker in the electronic age, it's important to be savvy when it
comes to online tools that will help you land your next job.
Online and "traditional" off-line resumes share some similarities. Both
serve to show potential employers why you are the best candidate for the
job.
"The content of online and off-line resumes is basically the same," says
Hannah Seligson, author of "New Girl on the Job: Advice from the Trenches."
"But it's even more important that your online resume stand out. With an
online resume, you are dealing with a critical mass, as opposed to an
off-line resume that is usually handed to a personal contact."
So what can you do to ensure that your online resume will impress employers?
Here are some do's and don'ts for creating a winning online resume.
Do: Make Your Online Resume Keyword-Rich
Meg Montford, of the career coaching firm Abilities Enhanced, says that
keywords are vital for online resumes. Montford suggests searching through
job postings for your industry to find common terms, and make sure those
words are in your resume. Montford also advises job seekers to spell out
acronyms to increase hits to your resume.
Lindsey Pollak, author of "Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do
Before You Join the Real World," agrees. "Since a computer will be scanning
your resume before a human being ever sees it, you need to 'speak' in a
language a computer can understand."
Don't: Embellish
Just because you're posting a resume online doesn't mean its OK to embellish
your qualifications.
"Don't over-inflate what you've done," cautions Seligson. "There's a funny
scenario where a vice president of the company, who is doing the hiring for
an entry-level position, reads the job applicant's resume and says
(sarcastically),'Wow, sounds like you've already had my job. It doesn't seem
like you need to start at entry-level.' It's better to say less and have it
accurately reflect what you did in previous jobs than to over-inflate --
something most hiring managers can see right through."
Do: Be Positive
Many disgruntled employees have been fired for airing their frustrations
about their jobs online for the entire world to read. Montford warns that
it's important not to accumulate digital dirt that could cost you your
current and future jobs. "Keep your online identity positive. Recruiters and
companies go to the web first to screen candidates, so it's vital to have a
positive presence," says Montford.
Don't: Overlook the Power of the Web to Sell Yourself
There are numerous options available on the Internet for promoting yourself
to employers. Don't overlook blogs and your own resume web site as unique
ways to reach out to potential employers.
"Every job seeker should have a blog and a keyword-rich resume on their own
web site," says Montford. "You can blog about your industry and comment on
articles and issues related to your field. Just remember to keep your
comments positive."
Do: Be Cautious
Finally, realize that your current employee could be privy to your job
search when using online resumes. Keeping a low online profile while
employed may be your safest bet.
Source : hotjobs.yahoo.com/jobseeker/tools/ept/printallept.html?post=145&eptTemplete=careerarticles
