Why can some people get a virtual job and others not?
If you have job skills that can be applied online 'virtually', then you should be able to get a job.
The problem is most likely your resume.
You need to throw out that old chronological resume and bring it into the new 'virtual' age.
Applying for a telecommuting job is different than applying for a job in the brick and mortar world. So you will need to change the whole way you are thinking of appling to a job 'virtually'.
Introducing the 'Advertisement Resume'.
Because basically, your 'resume' is an advertisement about what you can offer to an employer, so you need to think of it like that.
In your 'advertisement resume', you will be focusing on the services that you offer and are skilled at. So now, instead of just listing all your job experience, you will be 'advertising' your services.
First off, we are going to throw out 'your objective'.
Your 'objective' will now be replaced with an 'advertisement' if you will about you and the services you offer.
So the first thing besides your name, location and contact info including your email address will be what services you are offering.
For instance, if you are applying for administrative positions, you would focus only on administrative services, and your 'objective' might look something like this:
Skilled, Dependable Virtual Administrative Services available for your business needs. Large or short term projects such as: Correspondence - Word Processing - Email Management - Travel Arrangements - Answering Services - Bookkeeping.
Or perhaps, you are focusing on obtaining a Customer Service position. In that instance you might put something like:
Experienced Customer Care Rep with good listening skills and great attitude available for full time long term/permanent Customer Service employment. Customer Care Award Recipient.
Of course, get creative with this. Change this for the job you are seeking and be specific. For example, if you only seeking part-time, make that clear.
Show the employer what you offer clearly in the first paragraph of your 'resume'.
Next, you should list a more detailed list of your skills, for example:
Proficient and Skilled in:
* Speed Typist - 90+wpm - Word - Excel
* Customer Care Award - Creative Thinker - Caring Listener
Next, you will list your employment experience.
Be detailed and use a bulleted list. Be sure to include the skills you just mentioned in your first paragraph again in your job duties. This will let employers know that you have indeed performed the jobs and have the skills necessary for the job.
Lastly, do mention that you have a complete home office set up with high speed cable, etc. that might have been referenced in the job you are applying to. Alot of the 'virtual' jobs online require that you have this and why not mention it so they are not left wondering?
You need to think like an employer. What does the employer want? What skills were they looking for in their job ad? This is where you are going to focus your 'advertisement resume'.
Refer back to the ad you are applying to and cover all aspects of any details that were referenced in the ad. This is important and lets them know you are paying attention and not just 'shotgunning' your 'resume' out to every company without regard to the job.
Use these tips to create your new 'advertisement resume' and take it to the next level in the 'virtual' world.
Good luck and enjoy telecommuting!
Copyright June 2011. All Rights Reserved.
Written by VirtualAssistants.com founder, Belinda Stringer, with over 7 years in the staffing employment industry and 12+ years working online in the VA industry.
