We hear there is an employment crunch. Lots of places are looking for workers. If you are someone looking for work, where do you find all these jobs? What do you have to do for your job search to work for you?
Advertising can be expensive, so many places look at quicker, cheaper ways to post a job. Here are a few suggestions to help you find out who is hiring.
Job boards – Search the job boards, online and in the newspapers. Respond quickly to ads. Check out our job board regularly to start!
Think about the niche job boards. Many industry associations will advertise jobs on their websites. For instance, looking for work with a municipal government? Civic Info BC is a great place to look. What about the education field? School boards advertise jobs almost exclusively on their site Make a Future.
Not everyone advertises positions on the many job boards though, so where else do you look?
Facebook pages and groups – Some local businesses and organizations put out a call on Facebook as the first step in advertising a job. It’s quick and economical and reaches their followers, so they are speaking to the audience they have already built. Stay on top of these and again, respond quickly.
You should also consider following the social media of any businesses you’d like to work at as well as checking their websites regularly. Some places only advertise on the careers or jobs page of their own webpage. It’s a bummer to miss out on an opportunity because you didn’t know they were hiring.
That leads to word of mouth – ask people if they know of any jobs. Tell people you are looking for work and they are likely to keep an ear out for you. You can also ask people about where they work, how they like their job or if they would recommend you for a job there.
Look for signs – signs in a store window that is. Many places start with a sign in their window saying they are hiring. Walk in and ask for more information. We’ve noticed that many employers looking for part-time help are likely to use only the sign in the window approach. So take a walk or drive around town and do some window shopping!
Another sign you might want to look for is the one that says, “closed today due to staff shortage” or something similar. That’s practically an invitation to walk in and ask if they are hiring.
A new one we’ve noticed in recent months: many of the fast food restaurant chains advertise jobs on the coupon books you receive in the mail. They know they’re reaching a lot of people, so why not tell their audience, we’re hiring.
There is no one way to look for a job. Do as many of these as you can. Doing the best you can means you’re engaged and serious about your job search. And that’s the best way to find success.
Check out how we can help you look for work, get some training and other ways we can support you in your job search.
