Strategies for finding a job 3

[acuratsx]

What are some strategies you have used to find leads or jobs that have worked for you in the past.

Besides the standard resume posting on job sites and meeting with head hunters, what are some other avenues available?

I'm doing research on local companies but I'm having trouble thinking of places besides the ones I physically see while driving.

 

[kmcferrin]

Well, obviously the two big ones you already hit.

1. Post resumes online.
2. Talk to headhunters/staffing firms.

There's also:

3. Looking online on sites like Monster or Dice to see who's hiring.
4. Looking in your local paper to see who's hiring.
5. Most cities have a chamber of commerce. They can probably get you a directory of local businesses.
6. Most cities that I've lived in (granted, we're talking populations of close to 1 million or more) have a local business newspaper/magazine (usually something like Business First). That can be a good source for ideas.
7. Toastmasters. That's right, look for a local Toastmasters International chapter and join. Not only can you brush up on your public speaking skills, but most of the membership tends to be business professionals. It's a good opportunity to network.


________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator

 

[acuratsx]

Good stuff Ferrin! Thx!

 

[SQLSister]

In a large enough city there are also groups of IT professionals that you can join to network with. You'll not only meet your peers in other companies, but you will find out what other companies have IT departments. ANd in working on projecs together you may have the chance to impress folks at a another company and make them want to hire you.

Since you appear to work in the telphony field, I would suggest that you look at any local call centers as possible places of employment.

"NOTHING is more important in a database than integrity." ESquared

 

[DonQuichote]

Besides the standard resume posting on job sites and meeting with head hunters, ...

I always avoided those. But a simple web search on "job opening ..." won't hurt. I want to find the companies that have a vacancy, NOT the bureaus that want to hire you out to a company they keep secret.

For the rest, just keep your eyes open.

+++ Despite being wrong in every important aspect, that is a very good analogy +++
Hex (in Darwin's Watch)

 

[chrissie1]

Headhunters usually s**k bigtime. But don't take my word for it. It also depends on what the market is doing where you want to work. For the moment it's a sellers market here in Belgium. You just can't find the staff and if you do really want the staff you need then don't let them come to you but go out and find them. Social networking is very good for this. try things like LinkedIn or other comparable social networking sites.

And don't think because a firm says they have a job opening that they really want to hire someone. Some even consider it cheap advertising.

Christiaan Baes
Belgium

The future is out there
my blog

 

[kmcferrin]

I want to find the companies that have a vacancy, NOT the bureaus that want to hire you out to a company they keep secret.

I guess it depends on how badly you need work. It's not like the headhunters can keep their customer names secret from you forever, and if things go well you do get a job out of it.

Of course, there may be cultural differences between headhunter firms too. My direct employer is a consulting firm, but we also do contract to hire work and sometimes direct placement. When we bring someone in they go through a screening/techout process, after which we submit them to customers. Usually the contract terms specify that the customer has right to hire after 6 months. We do a lot of business with large companies, and a lot of them prefer to hire employees that way rather than going the traditional route. The customer gets a chance to evaluate the potential employee's performance with no strings attached. If they don't like them they can send them home immediately or at the end of six months or anytime in between, without all of the messy work of firing someone. So in many cases it's a try before you buy.

Of course, it also works that way for the potential employee as well. You get to try out the employer to see how well you like the environment, type of work, the boss, or the hours. If you don't like it you walk away at the end of six months (or sooner if it's that bad) and there's no strings attached.

I have seen some staffing companies that tend to lowball people on salary, and then do a high-pressure pitch to get them to sign on with the customer. Usually that's because the contract is loaded with a big payout on the back end if the prospect hires on, but only has a small margin in the interim. The better companies will set a higher margin for the trial period with no buyout. That way they get paid either way. Most customers are OK with that though, because those are the staffing firms that tend to attract the more qualified candidates.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator

 

[SF0751]

I notice that you are active in the Avaya forums - check out

http://www.inaau.org

website and look for members of the local Avaya users groups.

Susan
"When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers." - Oscar Wilde, An Ideal husband, 1893

 

[acuratsx]

Thank you all for the great replies!

 

[acewarlock]

You know Avaya and you can't find a job? I know nortel and all I see is Avaya high paying job's and no Nortel. I use DICE, MONSTER and Career Builder.




This is a Signature and not part of the answer, it appears on every reply.

This is an Analogy so don't take it personally as some have.

Why change the engine if all you need is to change the spark plugs.

 

[MDXer]

Best place to find people are hiring is from people you know. After being dimissed from my last company I placed a call to a friend of mine who had me a lead in 2 hours. I took a few weeks to go through the process but it ended up in an offer. I had reached out to 3 other people at the same time all of which resulted in talks or interviews, which I held back on waiting for the offer from where I am at now.

I would not discount headhunters or firms. To deal with these people you just need to be cautious. If you are a DB developer with 15 years experience and they contact you for a help desk position you obviously don't want to talk to them. I have a few of these individuals in my rolodex and they have me in theirs, they not only contact me about available positions but also for possible candidates.

Solid contacts lead to good jobs.

Paul
---------------------------------------
Shoot Me! Shoot Me NOW!!!
- Daffy Duck

 

[shoalcreek]

Get people to help you. The big question is--how do you get people to help you?