Finding a job involves using the right tools. If you understand how to use things like recruiting services, job boards, and career networking sites like LinkedIn, then you’ll have a much better chance at landing your dream job.
In many ways, finding the right job involves using the resources available to you. You might be asking right now: “what exactly are these tools?”. Well, obviously they aren’t tools that you can buy in a hardware store…these are more metaphorical tools that can be used to assist you in the job search.
There are many articles on this website dedicated to explaining how to use things like LinkedIn, Resume writing services, and other tools. However, this is a good primer on the many different options you have when you begin your job search.
Resume Writing Services
A resume is still the most important item you need when looking for a job. Even if you are finding work though relatives, friends, or other forms of networking—you’ll still need to supply a resume. Everyone needs a resume. And it’s important that your resume be concise, professional, and well crafted.
While some people are able to write their own resumes without assistance, many would benefit from help. There are free aids online, mostly in the form of resume templates that you can use. There are also professional resume writing services. The choice comes down to how much assistance you need when crafting a resume.
LinkedIn is the premiere social networking site for job seekers. It’s sole purpose was to connect working professionals. It’s turned into the main avenue for headhunters and recruiters who are sourcing new leads.
LinkedIn is used by most people in the professional world. Everyone from entry level administrative assistants, to C-level executives use LinkedIn to find work and network in their industry.
There are a lot of subtle things to know about using LinkedIn as a job search tool. Some of the more general areas that people should take note of include: LinkedIn photos, proper resume formatting for LinkedIn, appropriate likes and comments (don’t overdo it, LinkedIn isn’t Facebook) and making the right connections. It’s important to know how people search LinkedIn and how to use it to find work.
Recruiting Firms
Recruiting firms and recruiters are valuable tools when it comes to looking for work. In some instances, there are companies that only find their employees using recruiting firms. Other times, recruiting firms have faster access to hiring managers who are otherwise too busy to read the applications that come in online from job boards.
The advantage to using a recruiter is that they are motivated to find your work. Recruiters make money when they place people in a job. They are not career counselors, though. They will not help you find work unless they are working on a role that you are a good fit for. This is an important distinction to understand, and the confusion surrounding it explains why so many people are upset with recruiters ghosting them.
If a recruiting firm has jobs in the Financial field, then medical professionals won’t hear back from the recruiters at this firm. It only makes sense from a business perspective to spend time on candidates who can make the firm money.
This is why it is so important to research the recruiting firm and find out what industry they handle. It’s also wise to do some due diligence on the recruiter. This means checking their LinkedIn profile, as well as looking to find reviews online where you can read reviews from other people who might have worked with them.
Career Counselors
Career counselors are another tool to consider when you are looking for work. However, career counselors severe a very specific purpose. They are primarily useful for people who are looking to pivot into a new field and are unsure about how to do that.
Another way in which career counselors can be useful is to connect the unemployed with services that can assist them in their job search. For instance, career counselors in major cities can provide connection to resume writing services that are low cost or free. Also, for college students, career counselors can help connect students with internships and specialized job boards just for students. Career counselors are not recruitrers, they serve different needs.
It’s important to note that a career counselor is not someone who will find you a job in a highly competitive industry. Recruiters and headhunters tend to fill that role.
Job Boards
The most common method for people to find work is to apply to jobs on job boards. These are online replacements for the old classified ads. Sites like Monster, Indeed, Zip Recruiter, and Idealist are all popular ways for people to search for jobs.
There are also places such as Craigslist where people can find work, though that source is often best for work in fields such as Hospitality, Medical, and short term non-professional work.
Job boards are also used on company websites, though truthfully, most company job boards are outdated and not used by internal hiring teams. It’s common for a recruiting agency to work on jobs which companies don’t even post online.
However, it’s important to understand the different job boards, and know how to use them. There are a lot of articles on this website that address how to effectively search a job board and locate jobs. Much of the advise ties into how to craft a resume so that recruiters will read it and respond to you in a positive way. The ability to create a good resume is important because when you submit a resume to a job board, more often than not a machine will scan it. So, it’s vital that you’re submitting a resume that will pass through all of the pre-set filters that the job board has in place.