Maybe you just got fired. Or you hate your boss. Or perhaps your commute is too long and you’re sick of spending so much time in your car. Whatever the reason, you’re looking for a new job and that can be a daunting task. Just ask the thousands upon thousands of people who choose to remain in unhappy “dead-end jobs” because they refuse to embark on the job search process.
As a person who has been employed at 26 different companies (and this number doesn’t count all the dailies- what I like to call places that have been graced with my presence only once in a 24 hour period) I have a great deal of experience in the world of securing employment. And in actuality, it is less frustrating and more fun than most people imagine. Yes, I know this may sound crazy but it’s like an exciting chase, like trying to get the hottest guy in the room to notice you. Or something like that.
First things first. Get your resume in order. Your most recent place of employment should be first, after education. Be sure to include strong action verbs when describing the tasks you completed while working for this employer. Spice it up. Have fun with it. Don’t lie by any means, but feel free to play around with “smart” words like negotiated or maintained. People love that.
Second, write a clever sounding cover letter. Make sure it doesn’t appear like something fresh off a Google search. Start off with an introduction stating the position you’re applying for and where you found out about it. I’m a big fan of “I am submitting my resume for your consideration.” It sounds totally formal but not over the top. Just enough to seem eager for their approval. People REALLY love that. Make sure to highlight certain aspects of your educational and/or work background that can be applied to the job you are seeking. You really only need one paragraph since you want to leave some mystery for the interview!
After you’ve got both cover letter and resume on hand you’re ready to start the search. The Internet is the best way to find a job these days, although various trades and newspapers still print classified sections. You’ll find, however, that most of these have online versions as well. And bonus- they’re free!
Here is a list of my favorite spots to locate jobs.
1. Vested Hiring Solutions
Vested Hiring Solutions with over $5 million raised in early round venture capital funding, Vested is the hot new player in the HR Tech space. AI has been a big trend in technology, employed by giants like Apple and Google to hot new startups in the technology scene. Vested has gotten in the AI game, by building an AI based, smart intelligent matching app that connects finance and recruiting professionals to recruiters and HR organizations. It’s really simple to sign up and link it with LinkedIn. It’s a hot new player in the recruiting space and definitely worth considering if you’re looking to find an accounting or finance job in New York or San Francisco.
2. Craigslist.org
Some headhunters, some sketchy establishments, but on the whole craigslist.org has a lot of jobs to choose from. Depending on your location, there can be a multitude of positions available in various industries. And in the last few years employers have had to pay to list their ads, so you know that some of the less than savory get weeded out.
3. Monster.com
Both Monster.com and college aged Monstertrak have loads of job opportunities. The sites are both fairly easy to navigate and you can narrow down by location and type. Monstertrak is utilized mostly by colleges and once you obtain the password from your school (or perhaps a friend’s school if you’re feeling scandalous) you will have access to the database of available part time, full time, and internship positions. Monster allows you to post your resume on their site so employers can seek YOU out.
4. Idealist.org
Idealist.org is one of my favorite sites. Non profit organizations from all over the world list all of their paying and non-paying opportunities on this site, along with the descriptions of their companies. The best part about Idealist is that you can enter in your city, how far you are willing to travel from said city for work, and your area of interest and you will be presented with a list of possible employers. Even if these companies are not hiring at the moment, it can’t hurt to send an introductory email expressing your interest in their cause can it? You never know until you try!
5. Any Internet Search Engine
Now, I say any Internet search engine, but I’m partial to Google. I think I just like the way it looks. But that’s unimportant. What is important is that you find the websites that will best serve you in your particular area of interest or your industry. There are hundreds of job databases for everything from acting to farming to publishing to medicine. All you need to do is a little bit of research. Plug in some keywords and see what comes up for you.
My advice overall? Send out as many resumes as you can. The more you submit, the greater your chances of finding a job. And remember not to stress if you do not hear back immediately from employers. Sometimes it takes a couple of weeks for people to review all of their applications.
