Finding a Job

Searching for a job is like a research project: first you plan: develop criteria, gather data, then you organize what you have collected, then you take action.

 

Plan First you need to gather information and options.

  1. Determine Your Criteria: Your criteria is the combination of interests, values, education, training, skills, and needs which will determine what jobs make the most sense for you. See ‘What Kind of Worker Am I?’ section.

2. Gathering Data:

◈ Research jobs and employers, see what is out there and what they are asking for from prospective employees.

◈ Research companies and organizations that you may be interested in working for to see what the quality of their professional development and employee satisfaction are.

◈ Where to search for a job: on the public and hidden job market, and in your personal network. On the websites of employers, institutions, and organizations that resonate with you. Field specific job boards.

◈ Reach out to people you know or individuals at the employers you are interested in to learn more about openings and to get on the radar of the employer.

◈ Find out what job listing sites or job boards there are that specifically pertain to your field of interest. One way to find out what these sites or job boards are is by asking professionals in the field if they can refer you to these sites.

3. Organize Your Data: Once you have developed a list of potential employers, job openings and professionals in your field of interest you will need to sort this data.

Potential employers: from your research you have probably come across many potential employers, some may have publicly listed job openings, many may not. It will be important to keep this list for pursuing positions in the future as well as for seeking positions in the present.

This is a way to learn about listings on the hidden job market, meaning those which their employer is not listing on public forums in order to control the applicant pool. By contacting the organization directly you are expressing a level of specific interest that may allow them to share unlisted openings with you.

 
 

Job Openings:

Make a list of the publicly listed job openings you found and break down the details of each of those openings, in order to decide which will be worth pursuing and which will not, and what the order of priority is.

Make a list of job openings along with important data, including: