Topic: Using e-mail to find jobs

[wangsuda]

When applying for, or showing interest in, jobs advertised on the internet, it is important to put your best “e-face” forward.  You want your e-mail to stand out from all the others that are sent so that YOU make it to the short list.  To accomplish this, follow these guidelines when using the internet for your job search. 

PART ONE: THE DON’TS
1.  Do not send an attached resume with no cover letter.  If the person reading your e-mail does not know what you want or are applying for, they probably will not open the attachment. 
2. If a contact name is given in the ad, then address your e-mail to the contact name. 
If no contact name s given (and that speaks poorly for the person or company recruiting), then address your e-mail to “To Whom It May Concern,” “The Faculty Selection Committee,” or “Dear Sir or Ma’am.”
3. Do not send out blanket e-mails (the same e-mail to a multitude of schools/people).  That shows people that you did not read the ad, you simply sent out a letter to every available job. 
4. Do not apply for a job for which you are not qualified.  Read the ad and see if you are qualified. 
5. Do not send information filled with errors. If you do not care about the quality of work you send out, then why would you care about the quality of work you do for a school? 

PART TWO: THE DO’S
1. Do put the name of the position for which you apply in the subject line of your e-mail.  This shows that you read the ad. 
2. Do write a cover letter.  This letter should be four brief paragraphs that cover the following:
a. Paragraph one: introduce yourself.  Give your name, age, nationality, language(s) spoken, and the name of the position for which you are applying. 
b. Paragraph two: summarize your qualifications.  What are your university degrees?  What teaching credentials and/or certificates have you earned? 
c. Paragraph three: summarize your work experience as it applies to the job.  In other words, if you are applying for a teaching position, what teaching have you done in the past? 
d. Paragraph four: list your contact information. 
3. End your cover letter simply. 

PART THREE: THE UNDERSTANDINGS
1. Understand that employers read many e-mails per job ad.  Make yours professional. 
2. Understand that your religious beliefs might be different from others.  Try to leave out religious salutations from your e-mails. 
3. Understand that employers are looking for specific qualifications for their positions.  Make sure you realize this and highlight how you fill those qualifications.  You can do this in the second and third paragraphs of your cover letter. 
4. Understand and read the job ad before you apply.

[bomha]

Thanks, Wangsuda.  As you do, that's very helpful, professional, etc.  And this time, simple and easy.  Actually, it might seem obvious to teachers who are trained in writing business letters.  But many teachers aren't.

When writing a letter, do not think only about yourself as the author.  Think of your audience, which is in this case the guy actually doing the hiring, or his staff assistant. 

I do not think that my audience knows how to open an e-mail attachment.  Unless the resume is automatically attached (as the ajarn.com database, and TEFLAsia which is the same), I copy my own version of my resume directly into the e-mail.

Did you know that the photo you put on ajarn.com/TEFLAsia database goes directly to the employer, on top of page one?  I went to an interview recently and there was my photo on her desk, staring up at us. 

Employers can search the employee databases, including the photos.  An old mate saw my photo and called me to offer a job!

Keep it simple.  The employer doesn't have time to read about Mrs. Settle, your ceramics arts teacher in grade three. If you read John Mark Karr's resume, the one posted on the internet, you never would have called him or hired him.  He was unbalanced, and it showed.

[hero]

Good point you make about photos - most employers here request them.  How many times have I seen (especially on ajarn.com) terrible photos, a picture of you on the beach with a large beer in your hand surrounded by pretty girls might impress your mates, it probably won't impress a prospective employer!