Looking for a Job in the Information Age?: What to do … and what not to do.

While searching for jobs has become more "sophisticated" with the advent of the internet, the etiquette remains the same:

• Apply only for those jobs you're interested in. Just because you can apply to hundreds of jobs with a simple click of a button, it doesn't mean you should.

• Apply only for those jobs that you qualify for or, at least, come close to qualifying for. If a job advertisement calls for four years experience and you have three, apply … you might get lucky. If you have significantly less experience than what is required and/or if the advertisement asks for a particular license or degree you don't have, don't waste your time and the recruiter's time.

• Be sure your cover letter and résumé are directed to the specific company and job to which you are applying. Recruiters can tell when they receive a generic résumé – just the simple step of addressing it to the correct person can make a big difference. And if you're not applying for hundreds of jobs, personalizing your cover letters won't be difficult.

• Be sure your cover letter and résumé are in an easy-to-read format. This can be a little more complex when sending your résumé by email than by mail. For example, all that time you spent formatting your résumé (e.g., bullets, tables) could be for naught if the recruiter's software doesn't support it (those bullets could end up looking like upside down question marks). So be sure to keep your formatting as simple as possible. (For more information, see Dear Cindy – What's the Best Way to Email a Résumé?.)

• If you can, make one follow-up call a couple days after you have submitted your résumé. If you are not able to connect with the contact, leave a brief message. What if s/he doesn't all you back? If you don't meet the list of job requirements exactly, don't call again. If, on the other hand, you are a stellar candidate for this position, you could try calling again in two or three weeks. Again, if you don't reach the contact, leave a brief message. But that's it. If you don't get a response from your résumé and two messages, then, in all likelihood, the employer is not interested.

And finally, take note of the main faux-pas of job seekers in the information age:

• Using casual language in email communications (e.g., C U L8R). I've received beautiful and well-written cover letters and résumés attached to horribly written emails. Just because email is quick and easy, it doesn't mean the content of them should be whipped off without any thought. (See also Dear Cindy – Format for Cover Emails.)

• Using email as their sole form of communication. Email is easy; telephoning someone is hard. We use email because we can feel like we're being proactive without risking anything. So if you want to follow up on the résumé you submitted, pick up the phone. (But see Dear Cindy – When the Job Post Says "Don't Call" first.)

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Lee Ann McGillivray

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