How’s your job search going? Let’s see: got the required degree, training, and skills? Check. Have the required amount of work-related experience? Check. Had a great interview? Check. Does your social media or other online presence look favorable? Uh… what?

If you haven’t thought about how your online presence looks, you may have a problem. Could that be why you are not invited for interviews or receiving job offers after what seemed like great interviews?

Think about it. All potential employers have to do is look online, especially on social media sites, and they can learn a lot about you. A lot. Probably more than you want them to know. They might think that what they see, whether true or not, provides insight about you personally. Perhaps your online posts reveal the kind of person you really are, your true attitudes about people and things. Maybe they don’t like what they see.

Suppose you already interviewed and did quite well. Of course, they know you were on your best behavior in front of them. However, they also know the “real you” will come out once you are hired and on the job. Despite having seen an otherwise great applicant during the interview, they might now be worried and unsure about you because of what they see on social media.

It’s All Online

Let’s look at a few social media sites you frequently visit and see what anyone can easily learn about you in only a few minutes. Continue reading →

As every job applicant knows, employers typically require a cover letter in addition to a resume when applying online. However, you might be wondering: why do employers want cover letters anyway?

In addition to an application and resume, employers want cover letters for several reasons. A cover letter goes beyond the basic information on the resume, providing depth and explaining how the applicant will be a good fit with the desired position. Also, a cover letter may be viewed as a sample of the person’s professional writing ability. On the flip side, failure to include a cover letter as instructed can be interpreted as proof that the candidate does not follow instructions or pay attention to detail. In fact, if any required files are missing, the employer often rejects the entire application.

Everyone Wants to Look Good

Because a cover letter may form the employer’s first impression of you, it should, of course, be well-written. Thus, smart candidates will often have friends or mentors review their cover letters. Frequently, the document file is sent back and forth via email, using the track changes features of Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or other software. This enables their trusted reviewers to read the letter and then suggest changes directly on the document. The reviewers might spot grammatical or spelling errors and suggest wording changes that could improve the content. Sounds like a good idea, right?

Be Careful!

This approach, however, also has a potential booby-trap. Continue reading →