You have just finished school, your company has downsized, you took time off to go back to school or have a baby, whatever your reason, looking for a job can seem like an insurmountable task. Where do you start?
Job Boards
There are hundreds of them out there. Some of the more popular are:
These job boards have 1000's of jobs on them. Some of the problems with job boards include:
- 100's of applicants are applying for these jobs
- sometimes companies advertise through their own webpages or through recruiters before they go on the job boards.
- some job boards hi-jack jobs from other job boards.
- the jobs are not always kept up to date, ie jobs are put up but not always taken down
- searching can be overwhelming at times
Recruiters/Head Hunters
Finding the right recruiter is the most important thing to do. No point going to an IT recruitment company if you want a job in accounting.
Not only do recruiters deal with specific specializations, some companies specialize in certain industries, ie finance/banking or government. So if you are looking for a government CA position, make sure that your recruitment company is on the Vendor List for the government.
Pros for working with a recruiter include:
- if you are good at what you do, then they want to find you a job, they act like your sales agent. Just like selling a house, they only make a commission if they find you a position
- they have a large knowledgebase for their expertise that you can tap into, ie do you need more education?
- they negotiate the best deal for you, including benefits, salary, vacation, etc
- they are experts in their field, so they know the positions and what the companies are looking for.
Cons for working with a recruiter include:
- they only want the best, so like all sales agents they want hot commodities
- applicants send in 100's of resumes to recruiting companies, you can only deal with so many applicants so a lot of resumes get lost in their systems
Company Websites
If there is a specific company you are interested in then check out their websites. Most small to large sized companies now have "career" pages on their websites, along with information on how to apply for their jobs and career advice about their company.
Keep in mind that if you send in your resume through a company website, you close the door on using a recruiter for that company/position. Once your name is in their database, then recruiters are not allowed to submit you to that job.
Networking
Some things never change, networking is still the best way to find a job. All you need is someone to open the door and get your resume out of that black hole in HR.
Here is a good site to help you with your networking skills:
http://www.bcjobs.ca/re/career-advice/career-advice-articles/networking-advice/powerful-networking-tips-top-strategies-for-career-success
Set your profile up on any networking sites you can find. Start connecting with people on these sites and let them know you are looking for a job. Some of the more popular sites are:
Some
final advice:
- make up a business card with your networking sites on. Even add in a QR code so that potential contacts can scan it into their phone and look at your resume right then and there.
- don't be shy, you're looking for a job, the more people who know the more chance you will find a position. One of my favourite stories is a friend of mine was talking to an old neighbour she hadn't seen in a couple of years and they were catching up on their children. She mentioned that her daughter was looking for a job in finance and he just happened to have an opening. You never know when the stars will be aligned so be prepared to talk to everyone.
Good luck!!
