Hunt for the perfect job online

Search for positions and learn to send a resumé properly

By Maureen Halushak

When Alison Storry Dimakis relocated to Huntersville, N.C., from London, Ont., the mom of one used the Internet to acquaint herself with the local marketing-and-sales job market. “I like using online job sites because I can do specific searches,” says Storry Dimakis, who successfully applied online for her job in Ontario.

Online job hunting puts your future at your fingertips. Whether you’re searching for a new position or jump-starting your return to the job market, you can look at employment postings 24 hours a day at your own convenience.

Conduct general and specific searches

Searching for jobs online means never having to wait for the daily paper to hit your doorstep. Sites such as Workopolis and Monster are updated constantly; new national postings go live shortly after an employer inputs the job. Visit the sites daily to access fresh jobs in fields that range from aerospace technology to zoology. Don’t forget to check the online classified section of your local paper.

Further target your search by using industry-specific sites such as the Public Service Commission’s bank of cross-country federal government jobs or CanadianRN’s national nursing postings.

Association pages for your profession (like those of the Canadian Public Relations Society) may also yield listings, but you often have to be a member to access them.

If you’re employed but want to keep abreast of new opportunities, register with a job search agent. Most major sites, including Monster, Workopolis and the Public Service Commission, offer free services that will e-mail you up-to-the-minute postings.

Many sites also offer the option of posting your resumé in an employer-accessible database. “The great thing about posting your resumé is that employers can contact you,” says Susan Hayes, director of marketing and communications for Toronto’s Workopolis.

Learn the basics of a good cover letter

Cover letters are as important as ever to distinguish you from the competition. “Sometimes, because people are applying online, they adopt a more casual approach to business communication,” says Hayes. “You need to keep it professional.”

Use these expert tips to customize your application:

• Carefully read the posting and write a targeted cover letter for every job you apply to. “Be just as specific as you would be on paper,” says Ed Gorenak of Toronto’s Resume Scorecard resumé-editing service.
• Let potential employers know why you want the job. For example, Gorenak says that if you want to work as a nurse because you love helping people, say it.
• Display some savvy. Hayes recommends  researching a potential employer before sending an application. “You can be much more informed before you apply for the job and before you have an interview,” she says.
• Many companies use a screening tool to initially sort applications, so be sure to include all applicable keywords from the posting. “You want your letter to get found by technology,” says Gabriel Bouchard, vice president and general manager of Montreal-based Monster.
• Don’t give too much personal information. “You shouldn’t be putting anything more except your name, your address — and you don’t even need that — your e-mail and your phone number,” says Hayes. Never include your social insurance number, date of birth or marital status. “A red flag should go up in your mind if an employer is asking you for that information.” To learn more about workers’ rights, visit WorkRights or the Canadian Labour Congress.

Follow attachment etiquette

Refer to the job posting to see how to submit your application. Some companies have online application forms; others prefer e-mail. If they aren’t specific, it’s best to keep it simple. “If your resumé is too elaborate, details may break in transmission,” says Hayes. She recommends sending attachments as Rich Text Format (RTF) documents, which most word-processing programs understand.

Gorenak tells clients to copy cover letter and resumé text into the body of their e-mail and to include both files as attachments. Bouchard agrees: “This should be the common way to go unless the employer indicates otherwise.”

Wait for a response

Once you’ve applied for a job, send a follow-up e-mail. “You don’t want to be too aggressive, but some follow up within the next few days shows you’re motivated,” says Gorenak.

Remember: quality trumps quantity when you’re applying for jobs online. “[Sending] a professional, well-written cover letter, after you have done a little bit of research and a targeted search, is much more effective than mass mailing your resumé,” says Hayes. “It’s better to be at the top of the pile for a few jobs than at the bottom of the pile for every job.”