When thinking about finding a job nowadays in the US, the Internet is definitely the number one communication tool to use. There still are other ways to do it but the Internet is the most comfortable and effective one. But electronic communication in America has its specifics and it can be tricky to be actually able to engage somebody’s attention merely by sending an e-mail when he or she receives tens or even hundreds of messages every day. So, here we bring some tips to follow if you are looking for a job using internet sources.
Look and check
You may find many interesting job offers on the Internet, but at first, you don’t really know anything about these employers because (almost) the only thing you know is their name (which even doesn’t have to be a real one). When you are looking around, you should already roughly know what position you are looking for. There are many sites you can use, from the big ones to some local US webs. Make a good use of the filters (a location, a type of position, a salary, part/full time etc.) to get only those matches that are closest to your initial idea. When responding to an offer, there are usually two ways – directly via the website or via e-mail and both allow you to attach your Resume or other documents.
When responding to any advertisement, try to research the advertiser a little. You can try to search the company web or to find the company in the commercial register where you might be able to find some basic information about it.
Beware of the red flags
Your excitement about coming across exactly the offer you have been imagining the whole time should not make you completely blind to warning signs. Generally, there likely isn’t a very big risk if you research the company web, but if the company/employer:
● emphasizes the need to see your photos (if it is not e.g. a modelling, hostessing or similar spot) or
● wants to meet you outside their premises/on a secluded place or
● is not willing to reveal important details about the position or the company when asked or
● writes/talks about the job in very vague terms,
be cautious. It might not be important and the job might be completely fine but if your gut tells you there is something strange about those people, make sure you are safe when meeting them. You can ask your friend or a family member to go with you and wait nearby or ask them to call you if you do not contact them at a certain time on the day of the interview etc. Just implement some safety mechanisms.
Learn to write interesting messages
These days, employers in the United States receive many and many messages every day, especially if they are actively looking for new employees. Whether you contact them via e-mail or a direct answer to an ad, you can never be really sure they will even see it (usually
their secretary or assistant filters out the unsuitable ones). So, to ensure you won’t be overlooked, you should pay attention not only to your Resume but also to your accompanying message, letter of motivation.
Read through some helpful webs on this topic and dedicate a few hours to creating a really good letter of motivation because that is the first thing the receiving person will see. You can also contact some friends of whom you know got their job easily and read their letters (e-mails) for inspiration. You don’t have to be just one of many people using the same master found on the Internet, you definitely can add something that is yours or alter it a little bit. But remember not to overdo it and that there are certain rules that should be followed in this area.
Also, send the message from an e-mail address with your name in it, do not use some shady-looking e-mail address you set up for random registrations or subscriptions.
Have a Resume prepared
And of course, a Resume. You probably already know how to create one and all the dos and don’ts you can find. So we won’t repeat every well-known rule and detail about this topic but we would like to emphasize some important things anyway, especially in connection to the communication via Internet:
1. A simple Resume goes a long way. A lot of text can be quite boring and wearing to read for a person who reads tens of Resumes every day. Your future employer needs to know basic facts only, you won’t win the position by writing a three-page Resume including every little detail about you.
2. Check your Resume (and also your motivational letter) at least twice for any typos or mistakes. You can also ask somebody to proofread it because after a while of working on it and looking at it, you won’t be able to see your own mistakes.
3. Work on your formatting. Your Resume should be also visually pleasing and tasteful. No striking fonts, no colours and think a little bit about your photo. Do you want to include it or not (because you don’t have to)? Do you have a recent one suitable for this purpose?
4. Convert the final version of your Resume to PDF so there is no risk of the text scattering or disappearing. Sometimes it can happen when sending a DOC document via e-mail because it still can be edited, it is not fixated.
5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you are not sure how your Resume could come across, ask some people to read it. It can also help (especially if you’re naturally shy) to shake off some of the nervousness.
Don’t get discouraged
If you don’t receive any response to your e-mail and Resume or if you receive a negative one, don’t feel offended or unhappy about that. It is not right to leave you hanging and it should be normal to send at least a confirmation of receiving your e-mail but that doesn’t happen every time. So don’t count on every offer and hope for the best.
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