Job Searching Tips by
HRD Research & Consulting 

Contrary to what most people think, the best job leads do not come from newspapers or online job sites. Instead, they come from people who know you and think highly of your abilities. With that in mind, you should begin your job search by contacting your family, friends, and close acquaintances. Let them know what qualities you desire in a position and ask them to keep you informed if they become aware of such openings. This strategy should prove quite productive as many corporations actively encourage employee referrals or inform their workers of job openings before they become public knowledge. While you should not expect a friend or family member to influence the hiring decision, there is nothing wrong with politely engaging them in your job search. Most of them will be happy to oblige.

The next step in your job search should be to visit a few of the online job sites such as Minorities Job Bank, Employus, Monster.com, Careerpath, and Headhunter.net. These sites are very user friendly and allow you to search for and browse through thousands of jobs from around the country. Each offers resume posting and a few also offer a free email service that will enable you to be electronically notified of job openings which your specific criteria. If you post your resume online, however, you may want to limit or exclude personal details such as your home telephone number, address, and current employer. Since your resume will be freely posted for almost any and every company to view, you will want to prevent the possibility of receiving unwanted telephone calls and junk mail either at home or at work.

Now that you have searched the Web for job openings, expand your hunt to include local newspapers and magazines. If you live in or near a large metropolitan area, you can quickly and conveniently view the Employment Classifieds online by visiting Careerpath.com. If not, check the Wednesday and Sunday editions of your local newspaper since they generally contain the largest number of employment ads. While browsing through the classifieds, do not limit yourself by looking under only one or two category listings. Instead, take the time to search the entire paper. Often, jobs are not listed under their most obvious subject heading. For example, an upper-level sales position for Blue Cross Insurance Company might be listed under Sales, Insurance, Marketing, Management, or even Health.

Lastly, consider jobs within your local county or city government. Though many people frown at the idea of being a civil service employee, government agencies offer entry- and mid-level positions which provide excellent benefits and advancement opportunities. The salary for a government job may not be ideal, but you are almost sure to have flexibility in your work schedule (through flex time, and vacation or PTO days) and be given health/life insurance as well as retirement benefits.

When you find a position of interest, save the original job announcement or employment ad after forwarding your resume. This way, you will be able to keep track of all the positions for which you apply and will have the original ad for future reference. Also, don't be discouraged if it takes weeks or even months for employers to respond to your resume. Every corporation operates a bit differently and some have very elaborate hiring processes. If you want to check on the status of your resume, call the person listed in the employment ad or contact the firm's Human Resources department. As long as you are not pushy, most employers will gladly explain to you the recruiting process and anticipated hiring deadline.

Read the next article, "Preparing for an Interview"