| In an increasingly online marketplace, applying for jobs | | | | unwanted visitors. For this reason, you should never |
| often means sending your resume and cover letter | | | | disclose your home address, social security number, |
| electronically. Some companies have online application | | | | or any other personal information. Another downside |
| forms right on their Websites. Here, you can choose | | | | is that not all hiring managers will go out of their way |
| the job you wish to apply for, plug your work | | | | to visit your Website. Even if your resume is only a |
| experience, skills, and education into online fields, then | | | | click away, many hiring managers would nevertheless |
| submit this information with a single click of a button. | | | | prefer that you mail or e-mail it. |
| Online application forms differ from another and will | | | | In terms of how you send your application materials, |
| require different information. For example, some | | | | it would be unwise to go against the explicit wishes |
| companies ask that you "copy-and-paste" your | | | | of an employer. For example, don't send an |
| resume and cover letter into two fields. Others ask | | | | attachment when copy-and-pasting is requested. |
| that applicants fill in multiple fields such as "work | | | | Some companies shun attachments because they |
| experience," "education," etc. Still others ask that you | | | | fear getting a virus, or because they don't have |
| do both-submit your resume and cover letter, and fill | | | | compatible software, or because they simply don't |
| in fields that require the same employment-related | | | | want to be bothered with the extra step of opening |
| information. | | | | a document. |
| Whatever type of online application form a company | | | | When assembling your application materials and |
| might have, be sure that all your information is | | | | putting them into an e-mail, don't fill in the "to" field |
| posted in one field or another. Don't be afraid to | | | | until you are finished. It's all too easy to accidentally |
| repeat information, especially if the form requests a | | | | send a half-finished e-mail to a company, thus |
| resume and a separate breakdown of your work | | | | eliminating your chances of making a decent first |
| history. Your information will be automatically | | | | impression, and most likely, of getting an interview. If |
| uploaded into an online database, where hiring | | | | you were asked to copy-and-paste your resume and |
| managers will likely scout for keywords. The more | | | | cover letter, be sure to scan the final outcome at |
| times your keywords come up, the better. | | | | least once for formatting problems, then to use a |
| While some companies-especially large ones have | | | | spell checker a final time. |
| online application forms, many others simply ask | | | | If you are attaching your documents, be absolutely |
| candidates to e-mail their application materials to the | | | | sure you are attaching the right versions (i.e., the |
| appropriate person or to a general employment | | | | company-tailored and updated versions) to the |
| address like " Here, caution is warranted. Be sure to | | | | employer. Also, be sure that they are labeled in a |
| send your resume and cover letter exactly as the | | | | professional way. One jobseeker laments his decision |
| hiring manager requests. Some employers prefer that | | | | to save different versions of his resume under |
| the resume and cover letter be attached as separate | | | | headings like "Resume for Strategic Sourcing Jobs." |
| documents (usually in a Text Only format or as | | | | Says the jobseeker: "I was applying for three |
| Microsoft Word documents). Other employers want | | | | different types of positions. But I didn't want every |
| the cover letter to be in the body of an e-mail, but | | | | prospective employer to know that. By labeling my |
| the resume to be attached separately. Still others | | | | outgoing resumes the way I did, I pretty much |
| prefer that both the resume and the cover letter be | | | | broadcasted the fact that I didn't have a clear career |
| pasted into the body of an e-mail. For the latter, be | | | | direction." Probably the best strategy for saving your |
| sure that your documents are easy to read. | | | | resume is to do so under your name only (example: |
| Resumes, which have a rather complicated format, | | | | Simone Piette resume) or under your name and the |
| often look messy when they are transplanted into | | | | name of the company (example: Greenfield resume |
| the body of an e-mail. Says recruiter Beth Camp: "If | | | | from Simone Piette). Be sure to say in your e-mail |
| you e-mail a resume, it has to look as good as a | | | | what you have attached, and also, what software |
| written resume. I would advise sending a resume | | | | you've used. For example, you might say in the body |
| both as an attachment and in the body of your | | | | of your e-mail: "Please see my attached resume in |
| e-mail." This is a good way to sidestep a possible | | | | Microsoft Word version 2002." |
| formatting fiasco. Another way is to send your | | | | Before a hiring manager even opens your e-mail, she |
| resume and cover letter electronically, then to send | | | | should know exactly who you are and which job you |
| hard copies as well. | | | | are applying for. In the "Subject" line, write your |
| Some jobseekers opt to purchase domain names and | | | | name, the position name (and job number, if listed), |
| to create their own Websites for the purpose of | | | | and the contents of your application (example, |
| putting their resumes (and other application materials) | | | | "Simone Piette resume and cover letter for Executive |
| online. The advantage of formatting your resume | | | | Assistant Position"). |
| using HTML and making it a static Web page is that | | | | If you've been referred to a position by another |
| anyone can see your resume in its proper format | | | | person, be sure to "cc" (carbon copy) or "bcc" (blind |
| simply by visiting your Website. Thus, instead of | | | | carbon copy) your reference when you apply. That |
| mailing or e-mailing your resume every time you want | | | | is, add that person's e-mail to the "cc" or "bcc" field, |
| someone to see it, you can simply give the | | | | which will enable that person to receive an exact |
| interested parties the right web address and they | | | | copy of the e-mail you're sending to the hiring |
| can find it for themselves. An added bonus of having | | | | manager. The reason you want to "cc" or "bcc" your |
| your resume on a Web page is that you may attract | | | | referrer is because you want to keep him in the loop. |
| the interest of recruiters and employers whom you | | | | After all, if someone has offered to help you, he |
| hadn't even considered. To make downloading your | | | | should know what stage you're at in the application |
| resume easier, you may want to include on your | | | | process. (Note: Some e-mail programs don't offer "cc" |
| Website copies of your resume in PDF (portable | | | | or "bcc" fields, in which case you'll want to e-mail |
| document format) and Microsoft Word files. | | | | your reference separately.) |
| Unfortunately, there are downsides to putting your | | | | Finally, be sure to save a copy of your outgoing |
| resume on a Website. One downside is that your | | | | e-mail in your "Sent Mail" folder, just in case the e-mail |
| information becomes accessible to everyone, even | | | | doesn't go through and you need to send it again. |