What I Said at the Fraud Conference

At the ACFE's annual Fraud Conference, I was asked to talk about the value of Internet career sites. This is one of those topics where the truth, I think, lies somewhere below the surface. I don't think many people would dispute that career sites have become the ubiquitous tool for scanning opportunities and submitting a resume and job application, but using sites effectively is about more than copying and pasting your resume in response to every posting you see - something far too many job-seekers do.

So, here are the main points I made:

• Remember the rules of good job-hunting apply.
  
  
• Make Sure You Fit
  
  o Digest the job description - make sure you have the required experience and education.
  o Recruiters say up to 10 percent of people replying through job boards don't do that.
  o Advertised for a CFO – got a resume from a messenger.

• Sweat the Details
  
  o Note the position name or ID number in the subject line of your e-mail, and repeat it in the body of your message.
  o Attach your resume first. Even before you write your cover note.
  o Stick to the basics: Don't send Powerpoint presentations, videos, or what have you. Send Word documents or pdfs.
  o Add a greeting: Ladies & Gentlemen, Dear Sir, if you don't know the real name.
  
  
• Be Brief, Be focused
  o Brief cover letter: One recruiter says "wake me up."
  o List your technical skills, licenses and certifications – first.
  o Sorry - no one wants your personal philosophy. They don't care that you like Mark Twain, or that you just completed hiking the Appalachian Trail.
  
  
• It's Business
  o Simple formatting. No colors, no backgrounds, no fancy fonts.
  
  
• Remember: This is the first step.
  o Call the company.
  o Look for tips online (on, ahem, JobsintheMoney, for example) about getting past the online wall and to the real, correct people.