How to Start Looking for Jobs
You need a job? Let's go over all the ways to start looking for one!
Start with Why
When you are starting to look for a job it is instrumental to start with your why. Why are you searching? Having a clear why will help you have an organized searching experience. If you are not organized with your why, you will find the job searching process very frustrating. Don’t get me wrong, it will still be frustrating even if you are organized, but it will be less frustrating if you define your goal.
What is in this article
In this article I am going to go over the many options you have to help you search for a job. That sentence might be surprising to some as we are not typically taught that there are many places you should be looking that have varying tools/resources.
This article is great for people starting their career, still in school, or looking for a change in their career.
It is key for people just starting out to try all of these pathways for searching for jobs to find what works best for you. Each work, but some are better than others for certain individuals.
So, let’s dive in!
In-School Options
When you are in school, whether it is primary education or higher education, there are always tons of resources that get overlooked. Most schools have a “career center” of some sort and that is where you need to begin.
They will have trained professionals that are there specifically to help you find places to look. They will help you with all the following topics:
- Resume Building
- Networking Opportunities
- Career building tools
- Pretty much, anything you ask them for help with
Taking this an extra step forward - if you are in college, you can go to your specific major’s service center and find more opportunities there. When I was in college I would go to my advisor and ask about career topics and they would point me in many right directions. General advisors can be a really great resource in college that go unutilized.
This might sound like a, “duh!” realization, but this could not be a more overlooked aspect of job hunting. At the end of the day, it doesn’t hurt to ask the question!
Job/Career Websites
There are so many out there! I am a big believer in spreading your net wide, and you should be too. That is why it is important to check out and create as many profiles as you can on these platforms.
Below is a list of my favorite job searching sites that you should be using:
- Indeed
- Zip Recruiter
- Glassdoor
- Monster
- AngelList
I have used all of these platforms and each has their own flare to them.
Why these are great is because it is the best way to see a wide selection of jobs in one area, rather than having to go to each company website and applying. You can type in a simple phrase like “sales rep” and hundreds of job opportunities will pop up from various companies that you can submit resumes to.
This will save so much time and energy while casting a wide net!
LinkedIn Continued
LinkedIn is definitely the leader in the space above. Why? Well, they have a social media aspect to their platform that helps take the job search/networking capability to the next level.
Another way to cast that wide net on is you can join networking groups on LinkedIn. There are hundreds of these groups out there with recruiters posting jobs regularly. Hence the social media aspect I referenced above.
This is a huge win for people looking for jobs because this gives you the ability to get your resume right in front of the recruiter on their personal posts within the groups. Talk about getting your resume to the top of the pile!
To further my completely unsponsored pitch of LinkedIn, you can direct message people on LinkedIn, which is a feature I have discussed in a previous newsletter article. Check that out below if you have not already:
Article: How to Network on LinkedIn… Any Hopefully Land a Job
Networking Events and Career Fairs
Yeah, you read that right. There are full-on career fairs out there that are hosted regularly for companies and candidates to attend and interact. The best part is, this isn’t just at colleges, they are all over the place. They are open for people still in school or looking for a career change!
You can find these online with an easy Google search for them in your local area. Just like LinkedIn, this is a great way to get in front of recruiters. Although, this way you are actually face-to-face in front of the recruiters. These however, are very daunting. Don’t get me wrong, you might feel like you’re going to wet yourself you are so nervous, but that is exactly how you should feel going into this because it is exciting and fun to have these new opportunities.
I promise none of the recruiters are out for blood, so just be confident.
Bring plenty of resumes, cover letters, and any portfolio work you have saved up to give to the recruiters.
Family & Friends
This is another job searching tactic that can be overlooked. Family members can act as a great way to help you start conversations with people at companies. It might not lead directly to a job, but it will be great practice and a great way to form connections talking with people working in the field you want to work in.
I have seen this approach be the most successful way to land a job. Connections are the name of the game, and if your parents know someone that works at a company you are interested in, ask them if they could reach out and see what kind of openings they have.
This will at least lead to a discovery call to learn more about the company and get your resume on file for future openings if there are not any at the moment.
All in All
This journey is going to be fun, hard, and take a lot of work. But if you use all of these different approaches, you will surely find more success. These also are not the only approaches out there, so read around, talk to your friends, and start connecting!
I have written previous articles on resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn, and interviews. I will leave links below for you to check them out so you can read more on the subject of career. There are a lot of moving parts, so you want to make sure you have your bases covered. Happy job searching!
Resume: You Can Always Make Your Resume Better
Cover Letter: Cover Letters are the Secret Weapon You Need to Master
LinkedIn: LinkedIn 101: Everything You Should Be Doing on LinkedIn to Grow Your Personal Brand
Interviews: Everything You Need to Know to Crush Your Next Interview
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