Finding a job and getting hired is one of the most difficult and stressful tasks to undertake. In an economy that is just beginning to climb out of an extended recession, it is even harder to accomplish.
There are two basic ways to find a job: searching on your own or finding a recruiter. When searching on your own you will need to be your own detective and marketer. Competition is heavy among job seekers. Before you ever begin your actual search, you should arm yourself with the best possible resume. To do that, you will have to hone your presentation skills. In an era when applicants are submitting video resumes or marketing themselves on billboards, the fresh out of school resume is not going to cut through the competition. Check your local library or a mall bookstore for the latest books on preparing a successful resume and get to work putting it together. Have several people proofread it before you make copies. It has to be perfect. There is no hoping that a spelling error will go unnoticed because it will leap off the page to defy you. Armed with plenty of copies, you are now ready to begin your actual search process.
Where to look?
- Online job boards such as Monster.com, Careers.com, and Indeed.com. You can narrow your searches to one particular city, or see what is available nationwide.
- Craigslist.
- Local state, county, and city online job listings.
- Job fairs in your area.
- Professional membership organizations associated with your career.
After you have located several you are genuinely interested in pursuing, you will need to prepare a cover letter for each position which links your skills and experience to the skills and experience requirements that the employer is seeking. You must articulate what makes you the ideal candidate for the position and why they should hire you.
When you select a job recruitment agency you are handing the entire task to them. Their income depends upon finding you a job. In most, but not all cases, the recruitment agency has been hired and paid by a company to find an employee. Before you ever get started with a recruiter, clarify the arrangement for finding a job so you aren’t surprised by owing a fee for their services. Sometimes fees can be thousands of dollars. Don’t be afraid to interview the recruiter. You need the best possible fit and you need to know their success rate.
Which way is the best way to search for a new job? It depends upon how much time you have before you need to be behind the desk at a new job. In a down economy, it could take you months to find a job on your own. Recruiters do work faster in that respect because they already have openings in hand they are being paid to fill. Some people are uncomfortable selling themselves on paper so a recruiter would be a better option.
The best answer may be a little of each method.