Answer employment ads like a pro

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com
DENVER, CO — When you think of want ads, think 5% of your time spent on your job search, not 95%. Everyone should answer ads – especially those that are a perfect fit, but answering want ads and online job postings should generally consume no more than 30 minutes of your day. That’s because there are so many other effective ways to job-hunt, that you don’t want to put ‘all your eggs in one basket.’
If you plan to answer ads or online postings, develop a generic letter that can be mailed quickly by simply changing names and dates. Use this letter to answer most ads. Keep track of the ads you applied to with the dates in case you’re contacted. Once you mail the original, forget about it. Get back to doing more productive things.

If you find an ad that is 100% perfect, your ideal dream job, take the time to tailor a letter. Find a business directory, look up the name of the hiring manager – not the personnel director- and write that person a sales letter. That’s a letter you can follow up, because you have a name. By the way, if you find that you’re not getting any response from ads, don’t be discouraged. That’s the rule today, not the exception. Keep answering the ads that fit you, and sooner or later, the phone will ring.
Article abridged from CareerLab, and reprinted from TheCareerNews.com. Get the latest breaking News, Tips and Tools for your job search, Free!