Overcoming the Unique Challenges Technology Presents the Modern Job Seeker | Career Development

Technology makes a wealth of information available to us. That provides the modern job seeker with many advantages. As we learned in a previous article, job seekers can feel more prepared than ever before for a job interview, make sure the job they are considering is the right fit, and connect with others who work in that capacity.

However, technology also presents job seekers with unique challenges that didn’t exist previously. We will address some of these issues and how to overcome them successfully to find your dream job.

Feeling overwhelmed. Sometimes all the information available to us online and through our networking contacts can be too much. The articles to research job positions and organizations can seem unending and this can overwhelm the job seeker. They may even get to the point where they don’t know what to do next.

To avoid getting overwhelmed, it is important to stay organized. Identify the basic steps needed for your job search and keep moving forward. For example, basic steps would be:

• Update your resume
• Create a schedule to check online job boards
• Contact recruiters
• Apply for a job and follow up when necessary

Don’t let the amount of information weigh you down and keep you from taking the next steps in your job search. If you need help staying organized, we invite you to download our free Job Search Worksheet!

Keeping control over your online profile. If you can easily find information about the company with a job opening, hiring manager, and other employees who work there, remember that they can find you easily as well. You may not be aware of the online image you are presenting or that others are posting of you. This can affect your getting an initial interview.

Before you start to apply for jobs, Google yourself. You may be surprised at the information and pictures you find about yourself. If you find that some of the information and images could hurt your chances of getting a job, take them offline. If you don’t control the information or images, contact the person who does and ask them if they would please take down the information.

You should also revise your social media profiles and the content you post:

• Are your profiles professional looking?
• What about the spelling, grammar, and humor that you use?
• Do you post content that other professionals would be interested in reading?
• Have you connected with others in the industry you want to work in?

A hiring manager will check all of this information to give him a better idea of who you are as a person and if you would be a good fit for the job and the office culture.

Assuming you can use the same process for all job positions. Before the internet, the process for submitting your resume for a job opening was pretty standard. However, today, organizations want to make sure you are at the top of your game, creating several steps for job seekers to follow. Every organization has their own set of instructions.

To make sure your resume doesn’t get sent back to you, read the submission directions carefully.

• Do you need to write certain phrases in the Subject line of the email?
• Do you need to submit your resume as a certain document type?
• Do you need to answer certain questions in the email you send?
• Are you using the email you created specifically for your job search?

If you double-check these items before you hit the “Send” button, you will be one step closer to your dream job.

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