Part 9: Replying More Effectively To Ads

Patricia Kitchen | Change@work

November 23, 2003

Part 9 of a weekly series helping people with job searches.

Of all the job search techniques, the one people think of first -- and rely on too much -- is answering help wanted ads, both online and in the newspaper.

Yes, there surely are jobs to be found this way, but the competition is great. And you know what they say about putting all your eggs in one basket. It's just too dangerous to rely on one method. So divide your time among networking, direct contact, staffing firms -- and responding to ads.

That said, there are ways to make this method more effective. First, refrain from spamming your resume to every job that catches your eye. You may think, "What's the harm?" But it just falsely makes you feel efficient when all you're being is busy.

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If you don't come pretty close to meeting the stated requirements, you're just sending your resume into what Tony Lee calls a "black hole." It's best to narrow down the targets, says Lee, editor of CareerJournal.com, a site for executive job hunters.

Which brings us to job board categories:

First come the large general sites such as Monster.com, HotJobs.com and CareerBuilder.com. Then there are the niche sites that focus on jobs by: Geography, such as LIJobs.com or those found on regional or city chamber of commerce sites.

Job level, such as CollegeGrad.com or Wetfeet.com for entry-level applicants or Lee's site for higher-level executives.

Function/industry, such as Media Bistro.com for media jobs, as well as job listings found on industry association Web sites.

You can find such specialized niche sites though a job hunter's best friend, Google. Or in books such as "CareerXRoads 2003 -- The Directory to Job, Resume and Career Management Sites on the Web" (MMC Group, $26.95).

Megan Jones, 22, of Southampton is one job hunter who believes in targeting. While her friends go to the more general CraigsList.com, she prefers narrower sites such as Boardsportjobs.com, a site for sports jobs in areas like surfing and skateboarding. An advertising and marketing student two days a week at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, she says, "I don't want a position just anywhere."

Indeed, she recently was offered a job as an apparel coordinator with Yamaha, an opening she spotted on that company's Web site, but she turned it down because it entailed a move to California. Still, she says, it shows the reach of the Web that she in New York can get a job in California.

When you do respond to an ad, either in print or online, keep a few things in mind. First, take time to tailor your information to the stated needs. Too many people worry more about being fast than about being relevant, says Allison Hemming, president of the Hired Guns in Manhattan, a staffing firm for interim workers. People apply for jobs through her company Web site and after an opening is posted, "the first 10-15 responses are basically spam. There's no way they can turn around a customized resume and cover letter that fast."

Speaking of cover letters, the following do not count: "I think I'm perfect for this job. Please consider me." Or a subject header that says, "My resume for your review." (For a column in this job hunt series on writing targeted cover letters, see www.newsday.com/moneyandcareers.)

Also, you may think your work is done when you hit the send button or put that cover letter and resume in the mail. Not so, says Brad Karsh, president of JobBound, an Illinois-based coaching firm for first-time job hunters. A former recruiting manager at ad agency Leo Burnett in Chicago, he says such ads should be "a springboard."

Don't be "a passive online job hunter," he says. That means doing further legwork -- looking for contacts in the company, assuming you know which one it is, who'll put you in touch with the hiring manager. (Ad responses, in most cases, go first to the human resources folks.) Then ship the manager another cover letter and resume, and follow up with a phone call.

Another question: Should I follow up with a phone call even though the ad says not to? Well, human resources types say no, never. But, if you're a pretty good schmoozer and are truly a good match, it's advisable to give it a try. Employers say they don't want phone calls, but when asked who ends up getting the job, it's often someone who called and made a good impression.