UNCOVERING JOBS

Many people do not have good job hunting skills. They are not experts at locating job openings for which they may be  qualified. Here are some ideas to help you uncover those jobs. 

NEWSPAPER ADS -- usually draw the greatest number of  applicants, so you'll end up with a lot of competition. If you  have no geographic restrictions, you may want to check out of  state newspapers.

Find a way to make your resume stand out so that it isn't  lost among the many applicants. Here are a couple of ideas:

(1) Send a customized cover letter with your resume.

(2) Call before you send the resume in. If possible, talk to  the person who will be doing the interview or who you'll be  working for. If this isn't possible, talk to the personnel  director about the job and let them know that your resume is  coming. This will help them to remember your name and may help  you get through the resume screening process.

PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES -- these are agencies that try  to match employees and employers. These agencies vary in the way  they work. Some can be very helpful. Others are somewhat  unscrupulous.

Your best chance is to go with an agency that specializes in  your field. Beware of agencies that continually run the same ad  because, often, they are just trying to build a list of  candidates. I recommend that you only use agencies that don't  require you to pay a fee.

TRADE JOURNALS AND PERIODICALS -- Are often the best places  to look. This is one of the primary means of job advertisement  for some types of professions. Example: The magazine  Environmental Science continually carries ads for environmental  professionals.

Other good places to look include: trade shows and  professional conventions, personnel offices, college placement offices, friends you have who are in the same profession as you.

Another method is to simply go through the yellow pages and look for companies which may need a person with your skills. Then contact these companies by phone and follow-up by sending in your resume. 

Job seeking is a skill that requires persistence. You must  not become discouraged. Keep making plenty of contacts. Sooner or later, you'll find the job that's right for you. 

RESUME BASICS - RESUME APPEARANCE - OPTIONAL DATA
RESUME STYLES - WRITING YOUR RESUME 
THE JOB INTERVIEW - SAMPLE RESUME - BACK TO MAIN PAGE