Job hunting is a full-time job The Unemployment Line

I spend hours upon hours reviewing job postings and search-agent results, researching companies, developing effective cover letters and customizing resumés. Then come the phone calls, emails and, oftentimes, additional follow-ups when I have not received a reply.

I truly appreciate the people who take the time to return my calls. Some organizations have staff on hand to let me know whether I still am considered a candidate. Or they have Web sites that enable me to check the status of my application.

But sometimes the technology isn’t quite so helpful. At times, I easily could spend five hours trying to complete the application process for a single position. In fact, I just spent my entire afternoon applying for a job. I prepared my cover letter and resumé in Word, then I revamped it as a text file and, finally, completed the online application using a non-user-friendly site. It gave me a sense of déjà vu.

Last summer, I attempted to apply for one position 15 times over three days before I succeeded. The particular online application basically required me to recreate my resume and did not save the data from each step to the next. I went through the entire process, and repeatedly, in the final step, I clicked “submit” and received an error message.

The trouble-shooting section did not help. Contacting technical support made no difference. Only when I emailed an acquaintance who works for the company did I find a solution. For whatever reason, I needed to delete my temporary internet files before submitting the application. I learned the hard way that I had to delete the files just before the final step. At first, I tried to delete them about halfway through the application. I lost everything.

I suppose that, despite the frustrations technology can bring, things could be worse. I could be using a typewriter, correction tape, envelopes, stamps, and be job-hunting and researching without the luxury of a computer.

When I am fortunate enough to land an interview, then the real work begins. I know research is crucial.

I was bummed after I interviewed for a large religious-based organization recently, because I realized I had not done as much research as I should have. Instead, I had attempted to cram my head full of technical information about Web design, since I was told I would be tested on it. I am creative, but I am not a designer; my experience is in directing designers. The test was nothing like what I anticipated. I interviewed well but failed to wow my interviewers with how much I knew — or rather, should have known — about their organization.

Another important step for me is Googling my prospective supervisors and interviewers. Some people might consider it cyber-stalking, but I know a smart communications professional knows her audience. Besides, I would expect an interviewer to Google me, as well. I am on LinkedIn, Plaxo, and Smaller Indiana doing some virtual networking — but, most of all, hoping to be discovered.

by Cynthia Baxter