Your Guide to Landing a Job Online

Applying for work online can feel daunting, especially when you don’t know what the process looks like after clicking “apply”. While there is no foolproof recipe for landing a job, Flatiron School put together a free guide for How to Land a Job in Tech and a list of best practices to help you stand out from the crowd.

1. Polish your brand

People are Googling you at every stage of your career so making yourself discoverable online is critical to succeeding in your online job search. A key question to start with is: what do you want your digital first impression to be? It’s important to identify your online brand, and the key traits and skills you want people to know when they discover you. You want to make sure that you are in control of how you are perceived to increase your chances of being considered for roles. Googling yourself is a good exercise to help you understand what recruiters and people you’re asking for references can learn about you before meeting you.

2. Show your work

Your website and LinkedIn profile are digital extensions of your resume. Make sure they are up to date and all information is consistent across all of your professional profiles. As you’re choosing positions to apply for, think of which projects and work experiences you can add to your portfolio to demonstrate the skills you have highlighted. Giving examples of how you’ve created impact for others and what you’ve built in the past will reinforce your qualifications.

3. Refresh your skills

Never stop learning! Every industry is undergoing major changes right now, so it’s important to ensure that your knowledge and experience is not only up to date, but will be an asset in helping businesses adapt to future changes. Professional development is a highlight on any resume, and skill building will only help you feel more prepared to take on interviews, and eventual real-life job responsibilities.

4. Research and reach out

Make a list of companies where you’d like to work and the influential team members who work there. Once you’ve compiled a list of your target employers, and professionals you could benefit from connecting with, try creating a networking schedule where the goal is to reach out to at least 5 contacts daily to build relationships. *Pro tip: personalize each message based on what you and their person share in common! Contacts are more likely to respond to messages that are personal, rather than a seemingly impersonal copied-and-pasted greeting.

5. Engage and Unwind

Right now there are lots of events, webinars, and info sessions you can attend online for free or at a low cost. Choose a few that interest you and add them to your calendar to stay in-the-know.

At the end of the day, don’t forget to pause and celebrate the progress you’ve made, and recognize the effort you’ve put into the search. Connecting with your friends and your personal network will fuel you and keep you motivated!

This post was sponsored by Flatiron School. To learn more about Flatiron School, visit flatironschool.com or check out their reviews on SwitchUp.