Online job application tips

People now have more ways to be aware of job listings and send their applications. It used to be only via newspapers listings, job fairs, and radio or TV advertisements and through referrals on how people would know of which companies have openings, and of course “walking in”. People would then have to send their hard copies of their resumes via mail, by the referrer or by bringing it personally. Those still work in finding and applying for a job but nowadays, people do it online.

There are now a lot of online job listings you can visit such as theLadders, Glassdoor, and so much more out there (some are specific depending on which country you are in. Creating an account with them includes the creation of your profile which is the same as resume and you can add keywords or the industries you are interested in and you can get notified when there are openings for positions relevant to those you included in your profile. Searching for jobs are also easy with those job listing sites as most of them allows you to choose the fields – including the industry, the position and even the salary range where you want to be.

Aside from online job listings and applications, students can even train online nowadays. Sites such as Meditec or 360training provides career training programs for different industries and interests and they also provide grants and financing even for military personnel or spouses. Although it is easier now to train and find a job via online websites, here are a couple more tips to help you in applying for jobs online.

1. Create your online profile professionally – this is not just limited to the profile you have on the job listing site you are going to be using but you should also have a good LinkedIn profile and you should clean up your social media profile (Google+, Twitter, or Face book) as some employers checks out applicants social media profile as well.
2. Submit one profile per company – yes you may take advantage of several job listing sites and have multiple profiles with them but only submit one profile. You don’t want the recruiters to be confused and if there are multiple teams in their department, you wouldn’t want to be contacted twice or thrice. Submitting multiple applications via different sites will not increase your chances of getting hired – one application is enough.
3. Take advantage of technology but always double check – you can take advantage of things like spell and grammar checker when creating your profile and answering online application forms but make sure that you double check everything. You wouldn’t want an employer to see an application form with too many errors as it may end up being neglected and since most employers keep a record of applicant’s data, a possible job or partnership in the future with that same company may become unclear because of the past data you have with them.
4. Always research and be informed – especially for newly grads, finding openings for a position you desire does not mean you should immediately submit your resume. You should take time to research about the position and study the company or organization. Always understand the job description and make sure that you can actually deliver what is being asked of the applicant. Before sending your application form, review your CV and be sure that what you have matches what they are searching for.
5. Be prepared – always have a soft copy of a letter head and resume as aside from the application form and the online profile, most employers will ask for a soft copy of those files. Aside from that, most applicants are contacted through via phone call so always be prepared for the phone interview – answer their questions correctly and honestly and ask questions especially when an actual interview is requested.
6. Always review your application form – don’t just send a blast of application forms to different employers. Each application should be customized in a way that you answer all the questions they ask and that you provide all the details that can show them that you are the right one for the job. Of course, before sending the application out, review what you have written in the form for any mistakes or any fields you missed to fill out.