It might seem during these hard times that there’s too much competition for jobs, few good jobs, or a lack of career opportunities. Yet, many job seekers fail to find a job that fits their education, skills, earning expectations, and/or dreams merely because they don’t know how to determine if a company that interests them or a company within a certain industry is hiring at any given time.
It’s easy to find “work” in most regions because companies in certain industries are in desperate need of bodies to fill specific positions. It’s harder to find employment that empowers you and helps you to achieve not only your short-term goals but your long-term ones as well. That said, it’s not impossible. You can find out if someone is hiring by following these few simple steps:
1. Talk to a Decision-Maker
If you have a specific company in mind, contact the owner, Human Resources, or a manager within a specific department. You can find contact details on the company’s website. Before you reach out, learn as much about the company’s mission, work culture, successes, and goals as you can. When you’re ready to speak initially with a decision-maker, outline how you could be beneficial to the company based on the information you found and how these areas align with your own plans.
2. Use Job Board Search Tools
A lot of job seekers scroll down and scan online employment classified advertisements and job board listings without any specific position expectations. They waste a lot of time and energy hoping to find any position that sounds interesting or fits their minimum requirement. Instead, use available search tools to find employment ads based on keywords that fit your needs, such as the name of a specific company or position title.
3. Check Social Networking Sites
Many companies now list their open positions on social networks in short posts with related hashtags. All you need to do to find out if they’re hiring is visit their social media page and scroll through their recent posts. You can also perform a search using the same keywords that you would use when searching job boards. Another option: visit a career or professional networking website, locate a company’s profile and employee connections, and then reach out to any managers or other decision-makers with profiles on the platform who can help you learn more about recent job openings.
4. Contact Your Alma Mater
Colleges and universities often help their current students and alumni find work and strengthen their ties to their local community and leadership by offering an employment department and job search tools. Your alma mater might be able to connect you with community business leaders, hiring managers, or recruiters. They can usually provide you at least a list of the current job or paid internship openings.
5. Visit Local and State Career Agencies
Temporary employment firms and other career and recruiting agencies can help you get your foot in the door at a company that uses their services. You might have to start part-time to transition into a full-time position. Many counties also have government and non-profit agencies that provide career counseling and job search services.
At WorkFaith, the members of our caring staff empower our neighbors in Birmingham and the surrounding regions to seek out a wide range of employment opportunities in the area. Via a faith-based approach and workshop, we help our female clients ages thirty to fifty gain the skills they need to better face these hard times, find and apply for jobs, prepare for interviews, and dress appropriately for interactions with potential employers and future positions. For more tips or to schedule an intake, contact us today.