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APRIL 2007 ISSUE

Applying for Work Via the Internet

 

The Internet has created many new ways to find work opportunities and let employers know that you have the skills they need. For example, you can:            

  • use e-mail to apply for work more quickly and efficiently than ever before

  • use e-mail, newsgroups and chat rooms to network

  • use keyword searches to identify employers in your field

  • use company websites to learn about potential employers (e.g. company structure, values, products, services, key personnel and contact information)

  • search websites that have job listings from employers all over the world, and

  • post your resumé in online databases.

The guidelines for what you should tell employers are the same no matter whether you are applying for work via the Internet or by regular mail. It’s only how you format and deliver your message that’s different.

Applying by E-mail

  • If you are responding to an ad (in a newspaper or on the Internet), the subject line of your e-mail message should include the job title and/or job competition number.

  • Start your message with what you would normally say in a covering letter and conclude with your resumé. Unless a job ad states differently, it’s generally not recommended to send your resumé as an attachment.

  • Resumés usually have bullets, italics or other formatting features that may not look the same on an employer’s computer system as they do on your system. Therefore, create and save a copy of your resumé as a plain text document (e.g. ASCII, Text Only, DOS text), then copy and paste sections of your plain text resumé into your e-mail message. Since plain text documents do not allow fancy formatting (bold, underlining, bullets), use spaces or a series of dashes to separate sections and a character such as * or + for lists.

  • Each line in your message should be no more than 65 characters long. Some e-mail readers wrap lines that are longer than 65 characters, which can significantly change the look and readability of your message.

  • Make your e-mail address, mailing address and telephone number easy to find, so employers can get back to you by whatever method is most convenient. Depending on the e-mail reader you are using and how you have it set up, your contact information may be included in a “signature” that is automatically added to the bottom of all outgoing messages.

  • Ask if employers would like a printed copy of your resumé for their files. If so, you can use regular mail to follow up with a more professional-looking copy of your resumé.

  • Send a draft of your e-mail message to yourself and to friends who have different types

  • of e-mail readers. If your message looks essentially the same when viewed on different readers (and your friends don’t find any spelling, grammar or punctuation errors), you are ready to send your message to an employer.
    • Save a copy of your message, so you can modify it when responding to other work opportunities, instead of starting over from scratch.

Posting Your Resumé  on the Internet
Some work search sites allow you to add your resumé to an online database that employers can search when they are looking for job applicants who have specific qualifications. Some sites offer the service for free, while others may charge you a fee.

Before you post your resumé on the Internet, consider the following points.

  • The information in your resumé (e.g. your address and telephone number) will be made public. The fact that you are looking for work may also become public knowledge - do you want your current boss to know?

  • Post your resumé where employers in your field are most likely to see it. In other words, post your resumé on sites that have job listings for the type of work you want.

  • Check website policies to find out if you can update your resumé, and if you will be notified when your resumé is forwarded to an employer. Look for websites that allow an unlimited number of updates, or delete your resumé within three months.

Increasingly, people are reporting success by using the Internet as a tool to find work opportunities!

For more tips on career, learning and employment topics, visit the Alberta Learning Information Service website at www.alis.gov.ab.ca and click on ALIS Tip Sheets.  The site is provided through a partnership of Alberta Government Departments.