Article Surfing Archive

Finding a job has become much more of a challenge in recent years. Using the Internet as an additional resource will increase your options to find many great job opportunities, which are not always advertised in the newspaper. Many employers will place an online advertisement in conjunction with or in place of an ad in the local newspaper. Job boards, as they are called, allow you to search online among many jobs in your category of choice. They allow you to narrow down prospects, and many will even provide a direct link to a company's Web site, fax and e-mail address. Through job boards, the submission of resumes is almost exclusively done in the form of e-mail correspondence. This offers benefits to jobseekers as well as to the employers. Sending resumes by e-mail saves time and money. You don*t need to buy envelopes and stamps and go to the post office, then wait for a few days until the company receives and reviews your resume. When employers receive the resume through an e-mail they will be able to respond much quicker to those whom they think might have potential. Use of a home computer is the easiest way to manage your job-seeking strategies. However, if you don't have a home PC, you have other options available to you. Many libraries, cafes (some are exclusively set up for the purpose of providing Internet connection), employment offices and copy centers have computers available either for free or a nominal charge. You can browse the Internet, print up resumes for interviews and e-mail your resume to employers easily. If you don't have an e-mail account you can also set up a free e-mail account through any number of services like Yahoo or HotMail.

Simone Emmons, human resources expert for 18 years and founder of Hispanic-Jobs.com & Asian-Jobs.com (2 niche Web site that have thousands of jobs listed by leading companies) has put together a list of some tips to follow in order to achieve success in your job search. Here are some of her most important pointers:

-- Follow directions: Always follow the specific instructions for applying for a job included in the employment posting. For example, some companies write "To apply please e-mail your resume with salary history to...." You should then e-mail your resume and not forget the salary history. When companies instruct you to go to a specific Web site and apply in this fashion, do not just e-mail your resume instead. Pay attention to the details in the employment description and follow exactly the steps an employer requests. There are often reasons why a company wants specific information, and job seekers should pay attention to those details. Otherwise, you may never make it to the interview. Employers may feel that if you can't pay attention to their simple requests, you might not be able to pay attention to details in the position you are hired for.

-- Resume tips: Your resume and cover letter are the first items that will reach an employer's desk. Therefore, you want them to best reflect you as an applicant. Be careful when composing a resume. Spelling errors, grammatical mistakes and the like will quickly put your resume in the trashcan. Before finalizing your resume always use the spell check in the word processing software you are using. Highlight the skills that will be applied to this new position, and showcase your strengths. Remember, an employer will only spend a few minutes looking over your resume, so make sure it will stand out from the others. Never send your resume without a cover letter. Some company's recruit for many positions at the same time so always mention the position you are applying for.