By Cathy Francois
Contributor, Career Services
The days of circling ads and faxing your resume is so 2000 ‘n late. I remember a time when I used to pick up the Sunday classifieds to check out the job postings just for fun and to see what was in demand. I even went door-to-door inquiring about job openings. Although these methods have their place, technology has enhanced the way we find information, but has added a greater level of complexity to the job search process. How long has it been since you’ve searched for a job outside your current workplace? Here are some signs that you may be a little rusty.
You only search on major job boards. CareerBuilder, Monster.com, and Indeed.com are awesome places to conduct your job search, but that should only be the beginning. Savvy recruiters source for candidates using multiple avenues, and you should do the same with your job search. Consider niche job search sites that are industry- or career-focused in your area of interest.
You don’t research the company outside their website. Now, that’s assuming you research companies at all. You expect employers to vet you and check your references, so why don’t you do the same? Search resources such as LinkedIn or Glassdoor, news articles, and even warm-blooded people to seek insights and get the inside scoop on the corporate culture. Find out the answers to some questions like:
How is the stock performing?
How do current or previous employees feel about working there?
Is the company under investigation or have a pending lawsuit?
Your professional network outside your workplace is non-existent. If you’ve heard yourself say, “I don’t know anybody,” look in the mirror to find out who’s at fault. Never put yourself in a networking silo. Bust out of your bubble by participating in professional organizations, engaging in social media groups such as LinkedIn, and contributing to your community. To reach new heights, you must stretch beyond familiar faces and develop your professional brand outside your organization.
I hope I have given you some grease to get the wheels turning for your job search strategy.
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