The Internet has opened up a huge amount of possibilities for job-hunting, with the vast majority of companies now advertising jobs almost exclusively online. But while this makes it easier for enthusiastic job applicants to sell themselves using fancy electronic CVs, LinkedIn and well-maintained social network accounts, it brings many potential pitfalls. Here’s some tips to keep in mind…

DO set your Facebook account to private

Honestly, make sure all those ridiculous photos are well hidden from public eyes. And make sure your profile picture is at least semi-respectable.

DON’T use Comic Sans

If an employer doesn’t instantly bin any CVs printed in this most horrid of fonts, you can rest assured they’re not the sort of employer you want to work for.

DO set up a ‘serious’ email account

Yes, use your full name. The anonymous email account you use for message boards and signing up to spammy newsletters not only looks ridiculous on a CV page, but will also probably have employers wondering what exactly you have to hide, bloggser_8921.

DON’T fill you CV with every little meaningless task

I once, hand-on-heart, saw a CV that proudly boasted a previous job responsibility was “putting the things in the right place”. You can probably leave that one out, or at least make it sound far more dramatic and important ("organisational technican" has a nice ring to it, even if most employers will recognise it as the nonsense it is).

DO research the job

Google is as much a tool for you as it is for potential employers, so make sure you take advantage of it. Job sites have been known to host the odd untrustworthy listing, so a quick search should help you avoid imminent re-unemployment.

DON’T over or underestimate your ‘salary expectations’

It’s a horrible question to be asked on a job application, but you probably shouldn’t have risked that extra zero.

DON’T apply for jobs you’re not qualified for

That job at Google does sound amazing, but the fact you’re not able to code means bluffing will only get you so far.

DO apply for jobs you’re just about or sort of qualified for

Hey, you might get lucky.