Tips can help protect job data from hackers

  • Eve Nicholas
  • Tuesday, August 28, 2007 11:16pm
  • Business

In light of last week’s news, when hackers made their way into the resume database of Monster.com, I am reprinting some advice on protecting your privacy on the Internet.

The following tips recently appeared in my column:

Remove your home address and phone number from online documents. Use a Web-based e-mail address.

Review incoming e-mail messages carefully.

Delete messages with attachments right away.

Consider managing your own distribution rather than using online job boards.

Moving forward, I received many notes from readers asking for more details about contacting companies directly. Your questions ranged from “How do I proceed?” to “Who is the right person to contact?” Here is some additional advice on the subject.

When you approach companies directly, you control the direction of your job search. When it’s done right, it shows a tremendous amount of initiative and can result in a long-term professional relationship.

Before you send a blind letter or place a “cold” phone call — a tactic that rarely leads to a job offer — research several organizations in your field. Read the newspaper and search the Internet to learn about each company’s goals, culture, challenges and competition.

Use your findings to determine how you would fit in with the work force. Is there a specific need that you can fulfill? What problems can you solve? How can you make them money, improve their reputation or increase their bottom line? These ideas will help you market or “sell” yourself to the employer.

The next step is to dig just a little deeper. If you were to land a job with this company, who would be your supervisor? What is his or her title? This is the person that you will contact with your introductory letter.

How do you find this person? One way is to call the front office. It seems elementary, I know. But this tactic is different from placing a cold call to ask for a job, or trying to schedule an interview for a position that may or may not exist. In this case, you are simply requesting some information about the staff.

Be brief and forthright. Try something like this: “I am interested in sending a letter to the person who runs the clinical research department. Can you tell me the name of the director?” Verify the spelling, title and address. Then, get off the phone.

In our high-tech society, anything that arrives in the mailbox will likely stand out, so send your letter and resume through the mail. Include the ways that you can improve the bottom line, and finish the letter with confidence, like this: “I look forward to discussing my potential contributions to XYZ Company. I’ll call you next Wednesday to follow up.”

Next Wednesday, you may speak with the director, or you may end up talking to human resources. Either way, it’s good for you. Remember, your goal is to establish trust and start building a relationship. Be honest about your objective. Make sure that your resume is in the right hands. Try to schedule an appointment.

If you don’t land a meeting right away, stay in touch and continue your research. It may seem like a lot of work, but if you have a long-range vision for your career, the extra effort will pay off.

Send your job search questions to Eve.GetAJob@gmail.com.

Talk to us

More in Business

Gillian Montgomery weighs a bag of bird seed at Wild Birds Unlimited on Monday, Oct. 23, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Bird and cat lovers flock to this Everett bird supply store

Bring on the birds! Locally owned Wild Birds Unlimited store can help turn your backyard into a “seedy” restaurant.

Brielle Holmes, 3, points to a stuffed animal that she likes at Wishes toy store on Monday, Oct. 23, 2023 in Alderwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Local toy store chain got its start as kiosk at Everett Mall

Wishes now operates eight stores, including three in Snohomish County. Its Alderwood mall store is a roomy 7,000 square feet.

Manager Rika Rafael, left, visual merchandiser April Votolato, center, and assistant manager and events coordinator Jaidhara Sleighter stand at the entrance of East West Books & Gifts’ new location Friday, Oct. 27, 2023, in downtown Edmonds, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘We were meant to be here’: East West Books Gifts reopens in Edmonds

Located in Seattle before the pandemic, the new store offers books and other resources on meditation, spirituality and yoga.

Members and supporters of the Snohomish and Island County Labor Council gather on Oct. 10 at the Edward D. Hansen Conference Center in Everett. The the Affiliate Labor Champion Award was given to the International Association of Machinists 751. Wes Heard, center, accepted the award on behalf of IAM 751. Photo credit: Snohomish and Island County Labor Council.
Snohomish & Island County Labor Council honors labor leaders

The labor council’s annual Champions Dinner recognized two local labor leaders and a machinists union last month.

Two students walk along a path through campus Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022, at Everett Community College in Everett, Washington. The college’s youth-reengagement program has lost its funding, and around 150 students are now without the money they need to attend classes. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Fewer students enroll at state’s public colleges, study says

Enrollment has picked up since the pandemic, but the lag threatens the state’s quest for education equity.

Michelle Roth is a registered nurse in the Providence Emergency Department on Sunday, January 23, 2022. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Health career job fair to be held Thursday in Everett

More than 14 health care related employers will attend the Snohomish County/Workforce Snohomish event.

Logo for news use, for stories regarding Washington state government — Olympia, the Legislature and state agencies. No caption necessary. 20220331
State gets $1 million grant to boost small-business exports

Washington’s Department of Commerce will use the federal grant to help small companies increase their export business.

NO CAPTION. Logo to accompany news of education.
Grant to help fund health care program at Edmonds College

  1. The $220,000 grant from Career Connect Washington aims to improve the college’s patient care technician program.

Chestnut mushrooms grow in a fruiting tent on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, at Black Forest Mushrooms in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Fungi town: Downtown Everett home to new indoor gourmet mushroom farm

Black Forest Mushrooms will grow up to 20,000 pounds of tasty mushrooms each month. Its storefront opens Saturday at 2110 Hewitt Ave.

Trader Joe’s customers walk in and out of the store on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Trader Joe’s to move store to Everett Mall, application says

Trader Joe’s could move from its current address — with a tight squeeze of a parking lot — to the former Sears location at Everett Mall.

Starbucks workers and allies participate in a strike and picket organized by Starbucks Workers United during the company's Red Cup Day Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, at a location near Pike Place Market in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Starbucks workers in Everett, Marysville join national strike

Hundreds of Starbucks union workers at 15 locations across Washington joined the one-day strike.

Summit Everett, a rock climbing gym, in Everett, Washington on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023. Summit will move into the former Grand Avenue Marketplace space, a retail location that has been vacant for five years. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Everett climbing gym to close, move to new downtown site

Summit Everett, a Rucker Avenue anchor, will open a new facility next year one block west on Grand Avenue.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.