ADVICE - Job Searching

The New World of Job Searching -
Part 6 - Applying for a Job

By Robert Skladany, RetirementJobs.com Chief Career Coach

Do You Have Your Target Employers?
We concluded the previous column, "Researching Jobs and Employers" with guidelines and tips for identifying age friendly and other preferred employers.

Let's start with the assumption you have identified 15 to 20 employers of interest. Locate the "Jobs", "Careers", or "Employment" portion of the web site to view their open jobs and open a candidate account to enable you to post your resume and application with each of them. You should also search several job online job posting boards to see what jobs each of them may have open.

So, Who Do I Apply To?
It will be rare that you are given the name, phone number or email of the individual to whom you should send your application or resume. Don't take it personally, but employers confront sometimes large numbers of applicants and they really don't want to talk to or communicate with individual job seekers until they have reviewed your qualifications.

Either send your resume or complete the application provided online and send it off into the vast reaches of internet space, or make an effort to locate a contact - a real person. Get the employer's phone number from their website or through an internet search. Call the company and confidently ask for the Human Resources, Staffing or Recruiting department. If challenged, say it's a personal matter related to employment and try to pry a name out of them. Always get a name!

Let's say you've gotten as far as a department in human resources. Now what? Ask for an individual involved with recruiting - and again, ask for a name. This takes a bit of confidence and assertiveness - give it a try.

You may also find a name of someone in human resources somewhere on their website. If you live near the employer's office, store or facility, you can always walk right in and ask to speak with someone. This boldness may not come naturally to many of you but what's the worst they can do to you?

The golden rule? Always try to get a name, title, phone number and email address to establish personal contact.

How To Apply
There are only a few ways to apply:
1. Online at the Employers' Career Page
2. Online Through a Job Posting Board
3. In Person
4. Through an Employment Agency or Recruiter

How you apply is determined by the type of job you're looking for:

1. Hourly Wage Positions (Administrative, Clerical, Manual, Trades, Personal Service and Technical) You will most likely apply online to the employer, online through a job posting board, or in person. Even in person, they may sit you down at a computer to complete the application. When applying online directly through the employer, be prepared to complete an online application form. This can be time consuming and does require a level of comfort with online form completion. Take your time and be thorough. Increasingly employers do not accept paper applications - in part because they want to determine your comfort with a computer and electronic communication.

2. Salaried Positions (Professional, Senior Technical, Sales, Supervisory, Managerial) - You can generally expect to apply online or through an employment agency or recruiting firm. Regardless, you resume is vital. In some cases, the employer may also ask you to complete an application to which you can attach your resume.

3. Higher Paid Salaried Positions (Senior Professional, Upper Management Executive) - Once again, you can expect to apply online but at higher pay levels, you may be required to deal with a recruiting firm or a firm (headhunter) retained for a specific job search. In many cases, the recruiter or search firm will locate you through networks and referrals. You can also reach out to recruiting and search firms to let them know of your job search.

Understand the Job Requirements
If you're applying for a specific job, get any information you can about the job, particularly the duties and qualifications. Tailor your resume, application information and particularly any cover letter you are able to send to reflect the job information, even using exact words and phrases from the job description. Too often people apply for jobs they are clearly not qualified for and then are disgruntled when they hear nothing or are rejected - don't waste time by applying for jobs on nothing but hope.

The other time waster is to apply to an employer when they aren't actively hiring. Sure it can be helpful to submit an application they can "keep on file" but don't get your hopes up. The best candidates are "fresh candidates". If it's been more than a few months since you submitted an application, do it again.

One step that could make the difference is to post your resume at an employer's online career site. They are more apt to search their resume database for keywords and those keywords might be in your resume.

Employer Background Checks
Background checks are now almost a routine process during the application process. There are clear federal and state laws regulating the scope and nature of background checks. The most important federal law is the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act or FCRA. The regulations apply only to job seekers where the expected pay level is $75,000 or lower and applies to third parties performing the background checks. Employers have few limitations on checks they perform themselves. Here's what you can expect and some steps you can take to come out looking good.

Social Security Number - Yup, employers are permitted to verify your Social Security number (SSN) as part of the requirement that they confirm you are eligible to work in the US. This is a result of 9-11 related laws. They may even ask you for your SSN before you are interviewed and even as part of an online application form. Two companies I know of ask this as their first question on their online application.

May people are offended or anxious about this request. We're constantly being told to never reveal our SSN to protect our identity. Well, this is the time to use your judgment. If you are not absolutely certain that the employer is for real and legitimate, don't release your SSN. If you're standing in their office or looking at their official website (you can tell because it will be a full-featured, operational website) go ahead and put your SSN is as requested. It seems inappropriate to ask this as the first question but it's the easiest way for an employer to verify your eligibility for work.

Work History - It's estimated that 30% to 40% of resumes and applications have deliberate misstatements or misrepresentations about work history and education. Don't exaggerate. The basics about your work history and particularly education are easy to verify. You need not reveal short term or temporary jobs and you can generally skip putting in the months of employment - just the years will do. Your best bet is to tell the truth though feel free to revise your title and function so it will be more clear what work you actually did.

You can also request copies of your personnel file from previous employers so you are aware of the records they've kept. This is not too big a concern because most employers will only very your dates of employment and positions held.

Education - Not much wiggle room here. Don't falsify any information about your level of achievement or institutions attended. Education is easily verified.

Credit Reports - Credit reports reveal a great deal about your financial condition and responsibility toward financial obligations. Check your credit reports at annualcreditreport.com. (link) This is the only Federal Trade Commission authorized site and the only one that is actually free. You can get your report from the three primary credit bureaus once each year. Beware of freecreditreports.com - it's not free and will enroll you in a for-fee monthly service.

You can take steps to correct errors or inappropriate information. At the very least you can notify potential employers of existing credit and financial challenges. If you have a low credit rating, it could prevent you from getting many jobs including those not involved with money.

Criminal Records - In theory, only convictions are reportable though investigation and arrest records can get mixed in with criminal investigations. Your best approach here is to answer the employers' questions fully, or don't report them and take your chances. It's regrettable, but many employers are reluctant to employ those with not relevant criminal records.

Court Records - If you are party to any court proceeding, there is likely to be a court record. This applies to criminal and civil matters including issue that employers are not permitted to access such as bankruptcy filings. Arrange to have a search of court records in your name and take steps to purge the files. At the very least, you'll know what's in there to be found.

Driving Record - Your driving record and DMV files are some of the easiest to access. This will be very important if you are looking for a job involving driving and employer vehicles. The can contain errors and obsolete information. Contact your state DMV for a copy of your records - but expect a wait.

Workers Compensation Claims - Employers are not permitted to discriminate because of disabilities but they are permitted to check your background of workers compensation claims. A history of repeated or chronic claims will unavoidably work against you.

Character Checks - There aren't a lot of rules here to protect you from investigators talking with coworkers and neighbors. This will generally not be done for the majority of applicants but if you're applying for a government job or very senior position, it could well happen.

Old Background Checks - The FCRA permits you to obtain background check records performed by employers you have previously applied to. The employer is required to provide you the name and contact information for the third party firm they engaged.

Check Yourself - If you have serious concerns about what a background check will reveal, think about doing one on yourself. Look on the internet or in the yellow pages for legitimate background checking firm and consider paying for a search of your own.

And if you're rejected? You can ask the employer if you were rejected due to your background check, and if so, request a copy of the report if performed by them or a third party. It probably won't get you a job, but at least you'll find out what they discovered.

Employer Consent or Release Forms
Employers are required to obtain your signed release or consent to perform a background check involving your education, military history or medical records. The Americans with Disabilities Act allows a potential employer to inquire only about your (health or medical) ability to perform specific job functions. This consent form must be on a separate piece of paper from your application and it must carry your signature.

Don't be surprised or offended by the request to perform such a background check. Employers have a legitimate basis for examining applicants' background. Don't be upset. Sign it and ask for the name and contact information of the third party firm performing the check. Whether or not you disclose any health information, or grant the release, is totally at your discretion.

You've Applied - Now What?
Now you sit patiently and wait - for no more than one week! As you've been warned, many employers don't acknowledge your application or provide prompt feedback. Now you have to show that persistence that we know will help you get a job.

If you were successful in extracting a contact name, email and then call, at least once weekly. You have to walk a fine line between being a pest and being persistent. If they don't want to hear from you, they'll let you know. This is especially important with temporary staffing agencies who often deal with the recent applications directly in front of them.

After three weeks or so, send a letter by regular mail to the employer's address reconfirming your interest and asking for feedback and an update. With your focus on only 15 to 20 target employers, you should be able to maintain contact and not let your application get "stale".

Now, with a well prepared application and resume, combined with ongoing communications, your cell phone or email could bring a message to schedule an interview. Then the real work begins - preparing for the interview.

Robert Skladany is a Human Resources consultant, executive, educator and author. He has focused his career on the issues of mature and retired workers and the particular value they bring to the workplace and to employers in search of stable, productive and positive employees.