NGA.NET's Mike Giuffrida responds Melbourne's The Age weekly My Career lift-out regular feature Any Questions

Saturday, March 15, 2008 THE AGE / MyCareer / pg 7

'What is e-recruitment, how does it stack up against other forms of recruitment, and as an applicant how can I make the most of it?'

Many people immediately think of your major online job boards when they hear the term e-recruitment, but this is only a very small part of what e-recruitment is all about. E-recruiting or electronic recruiting is the process of using web-based software to attract and employ suitable people. Nowadays, it's a major part of recruitment strategy.

E-recruitment removes the administrative headaches and allows recruiters and HR professionals to concentrate on what they do best: identify the best people for the job.

It reduces the time taken for job seekers to find and apply for jobs, allowing them to target companies' opportunities. E-recruitment enables a better match.

An employer with a registration and application process has an e-recruitment system, so it's good to understand rgus process. Here are a few tips:

If the employer is looking for written responses, review your application before submission, and check spelling and grammar.
Ensure your email address is correct and that your inbox can receive notices.
Follow a traditional layout fro previous work experience and skills. E-recruitment software scans these resumes, so they can be easily searched. The headings within your resume can be important in classification.
Research the companies you wish to work for and register for job alerts. See if the company accepts online expressions of interest so that as the company searches for staff to fill new roles you will be considered.