How to Use the Internet to Find a Job Life Train, LLC

Internet Basics Part of your overall approach Does not replace real world job hunting – gives you a powerful tool to assist you Don’t lose touch! Will a phone call work better? Is a letter more appropriate? Essential to grasp the overall basics of job hunting before it can be applied Online!

Online Application Basics Retain formality – even in Attach (do not copy and paste) your resume Make sure you attach it! (If you have Gmail turn on their attachment lab) Use a universal format – PDF is best, next best.doc. Convert limited number of documents for free using Save complex formatting for PDF files

Google Research companies Find open positions Check your own Google quotient – online/offline consistency is important! Keyword rich resumes can help you land jobs

Online News Sources - If you only have time for one, this is the one for business! Local paper online Industry related RSS feeds, Podcasts, etc. Don’t just look for jobs, look for opportunities

Social Media Networking Facebook/MyspaceTwitterPlaxo Quality vs. Quantity - Better contacts, better posts, better results Use to not only get your name out there, but also to do your research Give back too! What can you add to the community?

LinkedIn Profile – build it basic, then add more! Groups – by industry, interest, region, goals Connecting – make it relevant Q&A – what do you know or need to know?

Job Board Models Free job boards – lots of jobs, lots of junk Employer pays – only invested employers Employer pays on hire – may need other methods to compliment, more sorting needed Advertisements – what is the privacy policy? Job seeker fee – is it worth it?

Job Boards Industry specific: The “big ones”: Regional: Freebies: Craig’s List

Free vs. Paid Resources Does it cover what I need? (Topic and learning style) Has it helped others? Good customer service? How does the value compare to competition? What is the value of time saved vs. money spent? Don’t lose your individuality or your edge! Spotting scams – can their claims hold up? What are you paying for? How are they making their money?

Time Allocation When job seeking, stick to job seeking! Don’t allow the Internet to account for all of your search time. Create goals and achieve them, set a schedule and keep it, finding a job is a job!

Online or Offline? Job application – follow the guidelines Thank you notes – send an if you want but always follow up with a handwritten note Cold “calls” – call, then (or follow instructions)

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