Do you want to work for Steve Wynn? The smart money says his corporation isn’t going to be posting its next job opening on Monster.com or Craigslist. So where do you find out about that next golden opportunity? More importantly, with all of the scam ads and the commission-only social media sales positions pretending to be high power jobs, how do you know which opportunities are truly worth it?
Indeed
Indeed pulls job postings from the all of the usual suspects (Monster, Career Builder, Job Dango, Craigslist, etc.) and puts them together in one convenient location. The primary benefit of Indeed, though, is not that it pulls from all of the usual sites (and some would say played-out sites) but that the site also culls postings from local newspapers and even individual company “help wanted” pages.
This way, you can search through all of the major job portals—local and national–without having to go through a bunch of different sites only to find the same job listings over and over again (or accidentally apply for the same job six times).
TIP: Create a spreadsheet for each job to which you apply. On this spreadsheet list the Indeed Job Number, the contact information you used (especially the email address you sent it to), the subject line of your email, and the date you sent your initial reply. Use a color coding system to mark which applications have resulted in follow ups, denials, etc. This way you can tell at a glance which jobs you need to follow up on, etc.
They say that now more than ever, finding a new job is all about who you know. This is why LinkedIn is such an important tool for job seekers. You can, hopefully, work your connections to find leads in your field (or the field you’re trying to get into). But the site is good for so much more than that.
The trick to using LinkedIn to find a job is not about actually sending messages along your lines of connection (though that can be helpful). The trick to finding employment leads on LinkedIn is to be social.
Take advantage of the forums and discussion groups. Use them as places to show off your expertise in a subject and to make real connections with people. Don’t just join groups related to job searches. Join groups related to jobs you’ve already had, fields in which you are trained, and even fields in which you want to learn something new. Being able to show that you’re using your time to keep your existing skills sharp and to develop new skill sets makes you more attractive to potential employers.
The Ladders
The Ladders is a newer site for job seekers. What sets this site apart? The first thing that will probably catch your eye is the membership fee. You can join free of charge to check out the site and see if it is for you. For $25, though, you get help with your resume, list yourself so that job recruiters can find you, and have job leads sent to you instead of your having to go after them. It basically saves you from having to spend all day sitting at the computer trolling for job leads.
Plus, $25 is a lot cheaper than what you’d pay to hire a professional resume writer or interview coach. Take advantage of the opportunity to get professional eyes on your information and feedback on your first impressions at a reasonable rate. This will help you improve and make yourself more attractive to future employers.
Glassdoor
Let’s say that your resume catches someone’s attention and you are invited in for an interview. Maybe you even get an offer. Are you sure you really want to work for that company? When you’re desperate for employment (as so many are), any opportunity can seem like a great opportunity. This is when you need to be the most careful, and that is why Glassdoor was set up.
Glassdoor is a website on which people can talk about the companies for which they work (or have worked for in the past). It’s a great way to find out if a company is notorious for offering promising opportunities that turn out to be commission-based sales jobs or call center environments. You can find out if the promises made in an interview actually pan out for employees—and all from the perspective of insiders.
Individual Corporate Website
Still dreaming of working for Steve Wynn? Make sure you bookmark his corporation’s job postings page. Bookmark the job postings page or careers page of every company with which you dream of working. Check these sites regularly to see if there are any postings in your field. You might even want to simply send in your resume just in case (be careful here; you don’t want to send it in too often).
Already having knowledge of and a desire to work for (that you can quantify in a cover letter and interview) a particular company makes you stand out among the many other applicants who are applying to any and every job they find. You can tailor your resume, cover letter, and even interview style to the company, which gives you an edge over other applicants.
There are lots of ways to track down a new job. Some people find the most success by simply going door to door or “pounding the pavement” and turning in resumes in person. Other people prefer to go the virtual route and use the web to help them get an edge. If you’re a fan of the web, make sure you visit these sites regularly, and hopefully, before too long, you’ll be back in the employment saddle again.
Good luck!
Erin Steiner writes about small business, employment, and internet related topics full-time from her home in Portland, Oregon. A successful business owner, she has vivid memories of the job hunt.
Image Credit: medixteam.com
