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How to Find a Job

Overview
Networking
Internet & Other Electronic Resources
Print Media & Professional Journals
Career & Job Fairs
Employment Agencies & Recruiting Firms

How To Find A Job

Quote: anything worth doing is worth waiting for or something that suggests you have to work at this but payoff is huge!

Is your Career Toolbox  full of the tools you will need to find a job? Is your resume up to date, are your interviewing skills sharp and focused? Do you have that suit pressed and waiting in the closet for your first face to face interview, and do you know which fork to use if you have been invited for an interview and dinner? If you answered yes, let’s get you out there in the job market. If not, make an appointment with a Hiatt counselor or go back to the tool box on the Hiatt website, review what you need to do to prepare, and then come back to the 4? methods below below.

Networking

Over 80% of all terrific jobs, the jobs you want rather than the ones you need, are found through networking. Why? One reason is because through networking, using informational interviews, you can uncover a hidden job market, that is, the jobs which have not been made public. These are the positions that your contacts know about because they work in the company you are targeting or they know someone in another company who will be hiring, or maybe they just have some information that will help you focus your search in industries that are growing.

Another reason why networking is so effective is that it is personal, time efficient and saves money for the company who is hiring. An employee, friend, relative, coach, professor, or alumni in the industry who introduces you on paper or in person to a hiring manager is a trusted referral and offers a vote of confidence in your eligibility as a good candidate for a position. No hiring manager will disregard the opportunity to interview you with such a strong recommendation. It saves time, money, and is just plain smart. Of course you do have to ace the interview! (See interviewing for tips.)

Internet and other electronic resources

For sure more and more entry level jobs are obtained using some form of electronic job search. Methods include directly applying for jobs through:

• Hiatt NACElink
• Specific company websites
• Professional organization websites
• Web crawlers such as indeed.com.
• Big job boards
• Industry sites
• Resources by major

For every job that is posted electronically, there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of other capable, bright students just like you, looking for that perfect fit entry level job in one of the top five great cities in the world for young professionals. So, your competition is fierce! Using electronic resources to jump start networking is a fine way to get closer to the job you want.

For instance, If you are an introvert or are  and simply having a hard time networking, why not research to get your leads to some great jobs electronically then use your network to  find an inside connection to someone in the company or industry you are targeting. (See networking.)

Print Media and Professional Journals

You may find a lead in a professional journal which often has job postings, in the Wall Street Journal, or your local hometown newspaper. It is worth looking quickly, but don’t spend any more than 5% of your search time looking for job postings in print. Rather, read business journals from the cities you are targeting, and/or the daily newspapers, magazine articles and other publications in the industry or profession you are interested in  in order to get a sense of what companies are growing, hiring new management (one might be a Brandeis alum..a networking contact for sure) expanding to foreign shores, or otherwise doing something cool that you would like to do. Then, use networking, conducting informational interviews, to find a way to get into the company you are interested in for a series of informational interviews that could lead to the job of your dreams.

Career Fairs and  Job Fairs

Ideally career fairs and job fairs can be a great way to establish contacts with companies which may be used immediately, or in the future when you are actually ready to look for a job. They may be on campus, at another college or university, at a large conference hall or hotel or on location at a particular company. (See the calendar on  Hiatt NACElink for upcoming career fair dates.)

If you work the fair well you may have a mini interview on the spot and be encouraged to follow up with the recruiter after the fair for a more formal meeting. Sometimes you will end up just collecting cards and not having meaningful conversations but you will have a contact name when you decide to apply for a job or ask for an informational meeting. Students do get great jobs this way so make sure you know your 30 second intro very well  bring plenty of resumes, try to figure out who you want to approach before you get to the fair and be understanding and  persistent!

Employment Agencies & Recruiting Firms

If you are looking for part time work or just want to get used to working in a particular business environment or industry, you can approach employment agencies for temporary work. The best way to find a good one is either through a referral, or you can research firms using local business directories online.

Sometimes a temporary job can turn into a fulltime offer from the company.

Recruiting firms will help you find a job. However, most firms generally work with job seekers who have some experience. Some firms are retained by a company, meaning that they get paid in advance for their search for the perfect candidate, while others are contingency search firms. Beware of the recruiter who asks for your resume from a contingency firm because they often collect resumes to impress an employer. They do not get paid unless the employer chooses their candidate, so this is a numbers game in which your best interests are not necessarily being represented. Ask questions when dealing with recruiting firms.