Tips from the Pros
by Chris Miller
Founder and Former CEO, 6FigureJobs.com™ (www.6figurejobs.com)
Strategies for Internet Job Seekers
Network. As a rule, you should make an effort to stay in touch with contacts throughout your career. But if you haven’t done so to date, now is the time to call on your network of friends and acquaintances. Take advantage of alumni, professional associations, and local career transition support groups.
Search for jobs. Visit online job sites. Search for jobs by location and by areas of interest and industry. If there’s a certain company you’d love to work for, you’ll probably find a job section right on the corporate site. And don’t forget traditional classified ads.
Apply. Send your resume and cover letter by the means specified in the ad. These days, it is typically suggested to e-mail or apply through a site.
Research the company. Familiarize yourself with the company’s history, locations, vision, etc. Know about its industry and competitors. Sites like Hoover’s OnlineSM (www.hoovers.com), Vault Inc. (www.vault.com), and Redbooks™ (www.redbooks.com) are great resources for this.
Interview. You should spend two hours preparing for each interview. Know yourself like a product. Have examples ready that demonstrate your skills in leadership, problem solving, etc. Be early to the interview, and make sure to have several fresh copies of your resume. Steer the conversation from getting the job to doing the job. Ask questions. Many strong candidates bring a notepad with prepared questions and extra pages for notes. This simple act shows you are serious about the job and helps the interviewer recognize the professional, efficient manner in which you conduct yourself.
Follow up. It doesn’t matter how you follow up after interviewing, just that you do. Handwritten letters are still impressive, but in this day of fast decision-making and high-speed technology, an e-mailed thank you will certainly suffice.
Chris Miller is the founder and former CEO of 6FigureJobs.com™. He has spoken at numerous conferences covering such topics as online recruiting, executive career development, professional networking, and career services.
© 2002. Used with permission of the author.
