Where Do I Go to Find a Job?

Alrighty, tonight I am going to cover one of the most common requests I get in my classes: Where do I look for a job?

Many of you find yourself out of work after years of faithful service to one company. The last time some of you looked for a job the want ads in the paper were where you started. Well, times have definitely changed and employers have entered the digital age. There are hundreds of job boards online and even these listings are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to actual job openings. I can’t cover them all but here are a few of my current favorites:

Simply Hired – www.simplyhired.com

                Easy to use and great content. For those of you looking for mom friendly jobs this job aggregator has special filters for mom friendly jobs as well as senior, new grad and veteran friendly.

Indeed – www.indeed.com

                Very similar to Simply Hired but has the added feature of being able to narrow by salary.

Texas Municipal League – www.tml.org

                If you are looking for a job with a municipality this is the place for you. THE best one stop shop for job listings in all sizes of towns in Texas. Updated daily.

Craigslist – www.craigslist.org

                You may have used craigslist to get rid of that old couch but did you know that they have a great job board? Many employers are using Craigslist as the new want ads. I have heard that the response rate to applications is infinitely better than the big aggregators like Monster and CareerBuilder.

Higher Education Jobs – www.higheredjobs.com

                Want to work for a college? This is the place to go! Excellent aggregator.

I hope these online places help. Remember to contact me anytime with questions!

How to Begin Writing a Resume

Everyone should have a resume.  Especially in this economy where you may be going up against 200, 500 or a 1000 applicants. You must stand out. Most people find the task of writing their resume to be a daunting  tedious task.  However, with a little planning you can tackle you resume and improve your job hunting success.

Brainstorm

Just start by jotting down your skills, work history and any successes you have had on the job. Don’t worry about the verbiage, now is just the time to write as much as you can down. You can edit later.

Wording

Now write down what you did with as many numerical values as appropriate. Example: Successfully managed a team of 10 salespersons to a 15% quarterly sales increase.

Next, use keywords – you can find these online or in resume books – to better describe your qualifications.

If you have a job listing you are applying for specifically utilize the duties and keywords they use to beef up your resume and better showcase your talents.

Formatting

Now and only now do you begin formatting your resume to be “pretty”.  Whatever  way you choose to design your resume remember to keep things professional.

Review

Have someone you trust review your resume and see if it is up to snuff. If you need assistance writing or editing your resume please contact me at affordableresumenow@gmail.com . My services are professional and not overpriced like other services.

Welcome!

Have you been looking for work for what seems like forever with no results? Maybe you have recently been let go and have no idea where to start looking for a job. Whatever your situation I can help.

In this economy it is easy to give up on ever finding work. Many people who have lost their job worked as loyal employees for years and are unfamiliar with the new job market. In my day job as a librarian I see such individuals everyday and it breaks my heart. Out of my personal experience of looking for work and my husband's long job search I developed a real heart to help anyone seeking a job. I began offering free career counseling classes to meet the need of our patrons.

I have come to realize that career counseling is my way of making a difference. I decided I wanted to take the plunge and do this kind of counseling as a part time business. I know most people charge a ton for resume services ($50 to $300 per) and I believe a good resume should be available to everyone. My rates are low I know, but my goal is to do this to pay off some recession expenses of my own and maybe even be able to work at home with my sweet daughter. I don't expect to get rich but I do expect to help others.

I know how to show you the best places to look for work online. I can point you to the best resources for improving your networking skills and even run through mock interviews with you.

Please contact me if you have any career questions: affordableresumenow@gmail.com.