One of the basic rules of Career Management is that "Information is Power". What needs to be added to that rule is that you must acquire information in a timely fashion for it to be a benefit. Today everyone is in an uproar about the vast amount of information available on the Internet. Commercial services such as CompuServe, America Online and Prodigy makes the Internet more navigable. Minority Career News will devote the ONLINE for Success section of the next few issues to describe the Career Management options available through these commercial Services. Our guided tour of Commercial Services will begin with America Online (AOL).
America Online Career Center
You will find the Career Center in the Learning & Reference department of AOL. Or you can use the keyword "career" for immediate access. Once into the Career Center you will have a menu which contains several options. The tour menu options for this issue are: Talent Bank, Resume Templates and Cover Letter Library:
Talent Bank
For a minimum cost a year, you can put your resume into the Worldwide Resume/Talent Bank Service, which is made available on both AOL and on the Internet. Your resume will remain in the database for one year. You may renew your subscription as often as you wish.
Resume Templates
This area lets you review sample resumes that you can use as guides when attempting to write or edit your own resume. You may also download actual resumes written by other AOL members, and upload your own resume as a means of "marketing yourself to other AOL members nationwide.
Cover Letter Library
This area contains a collection of letters commonly used in seeking employment. These samples will help you shape the wording of your own letters, save time, enhance the quality of your "appearance" in the job market, and increase your job search effectiveness. These letters topics cover everything from submitting your application to confirming an interview appointment or formally accepting an offer of employment.