Where Can I Find A Job?

If you are asking the question “Where can I find a job?, you’re probably well aware that looking for a job can be a full time job in itself, especially when the world is in the grip of a major recession and jobs are few and far between, with the inevitable result that the competition is fierce.

It is really important that you organize your job search effectively so that you use your time in the best way possible.

This means setting up a schedule which allows you to maximize your chances of getting hired, but at the same time gives you time off to relax and recharge your batteries. You will need to be in top form when you are attending job interviews and so it is important that you aren’t wiped out because of the stress of jobhunting.

If you are finding the search for a job incredibly stressful, make sure you find a way to unwind. Meditation, yoga, tai chi or just going for a walk can help you switch off. You don’t have to spend money – a relaxing bath, soothing music and spending time with friends and family could be enough.

You should decide which methods you are going to use in your job search. Where are most of the jobs in your industry advertised – local press, national press, online job boards, specialist journals? And what about the ones which aren’t advertised?

You’ll need to come up with a strategy for following up ads and another for searching out the unadvertised posts.

Once you have determined where the most suitable advertisements are to be found, you need to find out the times of the week at which ads are most likely to appear. This will vary according to where you live and which publications you are targeting. For example, in the UK, education jobs are in the Guardian every Tuesday and the TES on Friday.

You will find that companies advertise more on their websites these days and so won’t be advertising on a specific day.  So job boards and company websites will need to be visited every day or, if they offer the facility, you should have them email you when a suitable job comes up.

Once you have identified which jobs you want to apply for, you’ll need to make sure you have a record of all the closing dates. You don’t want to spend hours on an application only to find you have missed the deadline.

So it is a good idea to keep some sort of record of your applications. You can use a notebook, a spreadsheet or a word document. Or you can download our free software specially created to organize your job applications Here; http://wwww.coolercareers.com/tracker.html

Unadvertised jobs require a totally different approach. You can either approach companies directly to find out if they have any vacancies or you can talk to friends to see if they have any contacts.

Another possibility is to do some voluntary work. This can sometimes lead directly to employment with the organization itself, but it will give you some contacts within a particular field and those contacts could be worth following up.