Help! The Online Application System Takes Forever. Mastering Online Job Search: Part 1

Being a techie has it's advantages.

Knowing how to navigate the job boards and resume posting websites, or being able to figure it out, is truly a challenge, even for the most internet savvy job seeker.

Many employers, especially those with hundreds of employees across multiple sites require applicants to use the Internet to submit a resume and application. Sometimes it can take an hour or more to upload a resume, fix the mistakes that the parser made, write a cover letter, and add all of the additional required information. For the technically challenged or the job seeker who doesn't have the right marketing documents, submitting that application can take half the day.

One of the best ways to minimize the time it takes to submit an online application is to get and have the right documents on hand to make those submissions easier and less time consuming. A professional resume writer who is well-versed in these processes is your best bet.

Yes. They are expensive. Yes, you probably don't think you can afford one. Yes, there are a million websites out there that boast they're the best and you don't know which one to pick. My first piece of advice is to pick one that's priced somewhere in the middle. Definitely don't pick the cheapest one you can find.

The best resume writers, or resume writing companies, will have writers who are certified through an international certifying organization such as CDI, NRWA, PRWA, Jay Block, or a number of others. Expect to have to spend from $150 to $500 for a resume and cover letter package, depending on your level of experience and expertise, and the writer or company you pick to do the work. Some companies charge more and that's fine. You have to be comfortable with the service provider and when you find resume writer you're comfortable you should stick with that person.

For this price you should get a formatted resume that you can open and make changes to as necessary, as well as a customizable cover letter that allows you to change the contact information, target position, and whatever else is needed to tweak it for the vacancy. The other document you should receive is a resume that is formatted so it will be easily read by the online application system. Some writers use the .rtf extension (scannable). Some use the .txt extension (text). Some provide both and either is fine for today's back end application systems.

Of course, you'll still want your pretty, presentation copy, but you need the text or scannable copy for online submission. This will eliminate the need for you to rewrite job information every time you apply for a job on a website.

Armed with your new resume and cover letter in various formats, you should be able to get through an application session in less than an hour.