|
4 Niche Job-Search Tips
Looking for a job on the Internet can be daunting. Where do you start? What Web sites are best for your industry? If you're suffering from "job search overwhelm," take heart. Remember the adage about how to eat an elephant one bite at a time. Your quest for employment is the same. It's less overwhelming if you slice the online job market into bite-sized pieces instead of trying to visit 1,000 Web sites in a single day. Here are 4 ways to divide the online employment market into smaller niches -- and get hired faster. 1) Search For Local Job Sites Like politics, most job searches are local. You'll likely get hired by an employer within 20-30 miles of where you are now. So it pays to find Web sites that list local job openings. Tip: look for job listings at the Web site of your local newspaper or TV station. You'll almost always find something. Examples: startribune.com, kstp.com, detnews.com, nytimes.com. You'll often find links to other regional job sites this way, too. A second tactic is to type your state or city name and the word "jobs.com" into your Web browser and see what turns up. Examples: Minnesotajobs.com, Chicagojobs.com, Phillyjobs.com. 2) Search For Jobs By Industry No matter what line of work you're in, there's probably a Web site with employment postings for that industry. So doing a Google search for "job title + jobs" should produce leads. Another good Web resource is SearchSimpleton.com. It has links to more than 1,000 industry-specific Web directories, from Accounting and Finance to Travel, Hospitality and Restaurant job sites. It's a good place to narrow your search to a specific industry or job function. 3) Search For Unadvertised Openings Here's a neat trick. You can get hired by companies before they even know they need you, according to Rich Milgram, founder and CEO of the 4Jobs.com Career Network. All you have to do is think beyond your title. "Most people take their job searches too literally. If they don't find an exact match for the position Software Development Manager, for example, they give up. This is a mistake. Instead, look for companies hiring lots of software engineers and go pitch yourself as a manager to that company. That's because employers tend to fill lower-level jobs first over the Internet, so you'll be there ahead of their need for a new team manager," says Milgram. How do you pitch yourself to employers before they've listed a job opening? Research the company, make contact with people who work there, then send a networking letter. According to Milgram, your letter should say something like: "I've been in your shoes before, here's what you're going to experience as you hire new people, and I'd be happy to talk to you about it." "The successful job search is not about you, but about the growth and the future of the company you want to work for," adds Milgram. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you'll get hired. 4) Contact Old Classmates You already know that networking can uncover the best job leads. It's essential that you tell everyone you know about your job search. But don't stop with those people. Talk to everyone you used to know -- folks you haven't been in touch with for years. And the easiest way is to contact people you went to high school or college with. Even if you haven't talked to them in 20 years, you have something in common and they ought to be glad to hear from you (unless you stole their lunch money or did something equally inapt). Two Web sites to help make contact with old school friends are Classmates.com and Linkedin.com. Also, most college Web sites will help you get in touch with fellow alumni -- try yours and see. Now, go out and make your own luck! Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes. Since 1996, he and his team have provided resumes, cover letters and online job-search assistance to clients in all 50 states and 23 countries. Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, CBS MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal's National Business Employment Weekly, CBS Radio, and many others.
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
3 Ways To Succeed On Your First Job (Or Any Job) You've heard the real estate cliché: the three factors that determine a property's value are location, location, location. Analysing Adverts for the Creative Response The fundamental rule is: if you are going to apply for advertised jobs then only apply for the right ones. Don't waste time by applying for the ones you've no chance of getting; not only is your time lost but your morale will suffer if you keep getting rejections. Analysing adverts thoughtfully saves you more than just time. Online Business: The Underground Railroad for Corporate Escapees Millions of people everyday spend eight hours or more in a small padded cubicle. The curious thing about it is they choose to do that. They willingly sacrifice a quality of life because they believe it is the only way to support their families. That may have been true 10 years ago but it isn't any longer. Should I leave My Job? Most of us have to work for a living. Since we spend so many hours each week at our jobs, it's very important that there is a good fit. If you have been feeling less enthusiastic about your work situation recently, maybe you have even begun to wonder if it is time to move on. Five Fabulous Resume Tips for College Grads (or Anybody) Fluffy clouds. Chirping birds. Green trees. Colorful flowers. It's springtime! All of these things bring thoughts of joy and serenity to most people, but to you, dear college senior, it is usually a hectic time, full of final exams, decisions to be made, Graduation Day, and looking for a job. Sure, the job search is a major thing on your to-do list, but having fun, studying, and exams usually take the top spots as the months wind down and Graduation Day nears. Mystery Shopping - An Excellent Part Time Job Or Additional Income Source Though the name itself may seem a bit mysterious, the concept of mystery shopping is actually straightforward. Also referred to as secret shopping, performance evaluations, service checks and frontline evaluations to name a few, mystery shopping allows companies to obtain a "snapshot in time" by trained researchers who know in advance what they are to evaluate. It provides management a method to quickly yet efficiently evaluate their business practices, deliverables, and employees from the perspective of a non-biased consumer. Don?t Discount the Temporary Position Interview If you think, 'it's just an interview for a temp job -- no big deal,' that's where you're mistaken. Some wonderful opportunities, networking connections and careers have resulted from temporary positions. How To Receive Payment as a Freelance Translator? A problem most freelance translators are facing with is how to receive payment. In particular: How to receive payment for small jobs. Many translation agencies are reluctant to pay small fees via wire transfer due to the transaction fees; often they will send you a check instead. And I suppose I don't have to tell you: The banks charge an enormous commission when you come and want to cash in your check. Now, Do You Have Any Questions? "Who is that hot babe in the picture?" isn't the type of reply an interviewer expects to hear when he or she invites you to ask questions near the end of an interview. In fact, the way you approach the Q&A session will have a direct impact on the interviewer's perception of you. Based on the questions you ask, a judgment will be made in regard to how interested you seem to be in working for the company. How to Get Hired by Being Obvious If you want a drink of water, do you hire a focus group or pick up the Yellow Pages? No. You go to the kitchen, fill a glass and drink. You take the shortest route to fill your need. Listening for Interview Success Yes I know that we usually think of interviews as us doing all the talking, but the reality is different. At least 40% of the time we should be listening, and what we hear will have an enormous effect on what we say. Job Interviews: How to Answer the How Do You Handle Stressful Situations? Question When answering the "How do you handle stressful situations?" question during an interview, the best strategy is to give some examples of stressful situations you've dealt successfully with in the past. Dissatisfied With Your Job? Stop Putting Your Attention on What You Dont Want! If I were to ask you the percentage of time you spend thinking about what you don't want, what would it be? And the percentage of time thinking about what you do want? What Everybody Ought To Know About How To Change Their Career or Profession and Still Survive... Dr. Denis Waitley, trainer of leaders, including Super Bowl and Olympic athletes, Apollo astronauts, and Fortune 500 executives, is the most listened to voice on personal and career achievement and the author of the all-time best-seller, The Psychology of Winning claims that the 21st century is unlike anything we could have imaged. What Not To Include In Your Resume Do you have a difficult time determining what does not go in your job resume? The rule of thumb is to only put enough information about your qualifications in your resume in order to get the employer interested enough to contact you about an interview. How To Tap Into the Invisible Job Market Is there a company in your area that you'd love to work for? Do you assume that, because you don't see them advertising in the classifieds or posting jobs on their website, they have no openings? That may or may not be the case. That truth is, only about one-fifth of job openings are actually advertised! Losing a Career When Youre Moving for Love Those who watched HBO's Sex and the City (SATC, now available on DVD) know the last eight episodes were less about sex and more about city. And the last three episodes, taken together could serve as a case study for a decision faced by many clients Should I follow my heart or hang on to my job? Are You Suited for Self-employment? A recent poll conducted by Yahoo! Small Business showed that nearly 3 out of 4 Americans have considered starting their own business. In fact, of more than 2,200 adults surveyed, over half (51 percent) said they would like to launch their small business within the next 5 years. Successful Job Search: 10 Steps To Quickly Acquire Your Dream Job And Put More Money In Your Pocket Do you want to continue your costly, time-consuming and exhausting struggle in a frustrating job search using weak, ineffective tools that are getting you nowhere? The job market today is fiercely competitive with few high-paying or desirable jobs available. With repeated downsizings, companies have learned to survive with less. Ideal Job and Handling Criticism How many times have you been asked, "What is your dream job?"
|
|
|
Copyright © Advancing Women (TM), 1996- 