Top Tips For Finding Jobs Online (And Offline)
When you are unemployed, meeting your financial obligations may be difficult or impossible. Therefore, you have to make finding new employment a top priority. You cannot expect a new job to present itself to you. Rather, it is important to take steps to actively locate one.
Jobs in some industries are relatively easy to find. In fact, according to recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, jobs in such industries as construction, health care and retail are becoming increasingly more available.
However, jobs in other industries are less easy to come by, and your geographic location may also hinder your ability to find work easily. For this reason, it is always important to use the best possible job hunting techniques.
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Proper use of all of the tools at your disposal can help you get back on financial track through steady employment as quickly as possible. Check out the following information about top job search methods – as well as how to interpret job postings – so you can land your next job in no time.
Applying To Work For Specific Companies
If you have training and experience or a desire to work in a specific industry, targeting companies within that industry is essential. Do not waste your time applying for jobs that do not interest you or for which you may not be qualified. Instead, focus your efforts on increasing the likelihood of one of your target companies hiring you.
To do so, you must first learn everything you can about the companies you hope to work with. Check their websites for mission statements you can use to tailor your applications to their needs.
To learn more about the companies that interest you, it is also important to look at information provided by other sources. For example, you can check to see if a company is listed and in good standing with the Better Business Bureau. Unbiased reviews on third party websites can also help you determine if the working environments described will suit your personality and needs. Additional resources to check include the following:
- Your local Chamber of Commerce
- Social media posts made by current or former company employees
- Lists of top companies posted annually by popular business publications
- Glassdoor, a website that allows current and former employees to review companies
Applying At Recruitment, Headhunting And Temporary Work Agencies
Another potential way to find a job you’ll love in the industry of your choice is to ask for assistance from a recruiting agency or headhunting service. A recruiter or headhunter will have access to information about available jobs within companies. Typically, this information is not posted anywhere else. The advantage of such a service for you and the companies you wish to apply to is that the hiring process will be faster. However, be aware headhunting services can have some disadvantages. For instance, headhunting scams are prevalent, so you must verify the legitimacy of a recruiting or headhunting agency or individual before doing business. Additionally, competition exists between recruitment agencies, which can make finding a job harder if you apply for assistance from too many recruitment or headhunting agencies at once.
In addition to recruitment agencies, temporary work agencies are also excellent sources for quick employment. The employment you will obtain from such agencies may be temporary. However, taking on a temporary position within a company may actually cause your employers to take notice of your skills. Therefore, the temporary work may lead to a full-time position. Even temporary employment that does not lead to a full-time job immediately will:
- Provide you with much needed income.
- Help you learn potentially useful new job skills.
- Add to the employment history you can list on your resume.
- Build your group of professional contacts.
Utilizing And Expanding Your Network
You may be unaware of many job openings because they are not being advertised in traditional ways. Some employers also may only be contemplating whether they need to hire extra help. Before those thoughts are ever turned into active employee searches, you may be able to apply for such jobs. To do so, you must network with people you know. They may have personal ties to employers who can use your skills and will be happy to hire you. However, you will never know about those personal ties until you let people in your network know you are job hunting. You must also be specific about what types of jobs you are interested in.
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When you think of networking, the first step that comes to mind may be to talk to friends and family members. That is one step in the networking process. However, you must also expand your network as much as possible. Adding networking contacts within your industry can be particularly beneficial. You can make new networking contacts by:
- Attending industry-related conferences and networking events.
- Reconnecting with alumni from your school.
- Using online business networking websites to reach out to contacts in your industry.
- Making contacts via websites designed for online social networking.
Checking Online Job Posting Boards
Historically, job listings were posted on papers attached to bulletin boards. You could find such boards scattered around your town in locations with heavy foot traffic, such as your local grocery stores. Today, there are many virtual job boards and websites devoted to connecting unemployed workers with employers seeking to hire. You can use those online resources to reduce or eliminate the need to physically travel around your local area seeking work.
Finding job posting boards is a simple process. You can begin by using a search engine to find local job listings. Your local unemployment agency can also provide you with job board resources. However, finding online job boards is only the first step. You must then assess the job listings to determine the jobs you should apply for.
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Interpreting Information In Job Postings
Knowing how to interpret the information in a job posting is essential. Honing in on important information can help you decide if applying for a job is worth it. If so, the information you glean from the job posting can also be vital. Using it, you can reword your resume and cover letter to highlight your skills and experience in a way that will make you sound like the ideal candidate for the position. The other reason to use specific keywords from the job posting is that many companies use a software program to sift through applications, discarding those not using keywords, and saving those that do.
When you read a job posting the first time, do so with your personal feelings in mind. Do the responsibilities listed sound like responsibilities you can meet? More importantly, do you think you would be comfortable performing those duties? If the position sounds suitable, reread the qualifications section carefully. The qualifications are likely to be listed in order of priority. Therefore, if you do not meet one of the first requirements, applying may not be worth your time. However, if you do not meet a requirement further down the list, it may be negotiable or a skill for which you can be trained on the job.
