Returning job-seekers find a different world - Military Careers, Second Careers - Navy Times

Returning job-seekers find a different world

Jeanni Dennis quickly learned the job-search process is a lot different now than when she applied for an administrative assistant position four years ago.

The 52-year-old was laid off in March from an educational services company and since then, she regularly visits the Delaware Department of Labor’s employment and training center to use the computer, fax and other job-search tools.

“It used to be you could look in the newspaper and find jobs, but now almost all the jobs are online,” said Dennis of New Castle, Del. “Now you have to have a computer, access to a computer and an e-mail address.”

Today, many companies post job openings online, either on their own Web sites or on job clearinghouse sites like Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com. (That site is partly owned by Gannett, the parent company of the Military Times newspapers and Gannett News Service.)

Many employers don’t accept paper applications. They want you to create a profile and apply online. Other, more tech-savvy companies even conduct interviews online in a virtual space like Second Life, set up by San Francisco-based Linden Lab.

“Not using a computer, not being tech-savvy is not an option,” said President Kate Wendleton of The Five O’Clock Club, a national career counseling organization based in New York.

However, experienced career coaches and recruiters continue to emphasize the fundamentals:

• Networking in smart ways.

• Marketing yourself

• Preparing a well-edited, focused résumé and cover letter that will catch the attention of a hiring manager or recruiter.

Some recruiters suggest spending an hour or two on your résumé and cover letter.

“They want a cover letter that is specific to the job, a résumé somewhat tweaked for the job,” said project leader Garrick Weaver of CBI Group, a human resource recruiting and consulting firm based in Newark, Del.

For example, if a job requires “project management experience,” make sure you state that you have such experience in the letter and résumé, Weaver said.

Another way to market yourself is to create a brand identity online. Instead of posting your résumé on a static Web site, design a multimedia portfolio online. Part of that portfolio can be a blog, examples of your accomplishments, your goals and vision.

First, Google yourself and check out what is written about you online — is it accurate? What would you prefer to see?

Kirsten Dixson, co-author of “Career Distinction: Stand Out by Building Your Brand,” said a blog is the best way to build your brand online.

“It’s easy and fast to set up, and people can maintain it themselves,” Dixson said.

This blog is not meant to illuminate the world about your personal life and your thoughts on Paris Hilton. You want to keep it professional — perhaps write about an interesting new study or an idea you have about a particular subject in your area of expertise. It should be interesting, give you an opportunity to take a stand and reveal your personality.

Job seekers also should consider building social networks online. Employers scout prospective workers from popular sites like LinkedIn.com, an online network of more than 11 million experienced professionals from around the world, representing 150 industries. Instead of old-fashioned networking by collecting business cards from strangers, LinkedIn allows you to network with people you know and the people they know and so forth.

As always, be aware that every time you sign up for online social networking sites, you are in a public domain. Unless you are able to put a filter on some of your information, nothing is private, and it is really difficult to erase once it is posted.

If and when you finally land an interview with a prospective employer, you should know that they might have scanned the Internet to find out about you.