Job seekers have always relied on thumbing through the want ads in the local newspapers as a source to find jobs. In recent history, that has translated, in the Information Age, to browsing through job boards such as Monster, CareerBuilder and HotJobs.
However, in these down economic times, job seekers looking to find what is out on the job boards will, for the more part, be absolutely disappointed with what the see. Though healthcare jobs are still there, the bulk of the jobs I saw on a recent local search have turned up ads of the following nature:
- Staffing Agencies – While these ads have never truly waned, the prospect of find a position through these postings has diminished greatly. In some case, job seekers have found that competing staffing agencies are posting for the same job. Again, this wouldn’t be noticeable in better economic times, but now, is quite a bit more transparent.
- Sales – If you do happen to be seeking a sales position, now is probably a good time to be search. Be mindful, though, as those employers seeking news salespeople a likely trying to find someone who can so something more extraordinary than the last people they had in place.
- Multi-level marketing – If I live to be 100, I will never understand the inner workings of MLM. What I do understand, though, is that MLM firms are one of the most prevalent job posters these day. Again, see the Sales bullet on how to best approach these ads.
- Start Your Own Business – If you are truly interested in starting your own business, sites like Entrepreneur.com would serve you much better than answering one of these ads.
Like their print predecessors before them, online job boards are, for the most part, the least effective way for job seekers to find a position, and, according to a recent survey, 12 percent of positions are filled in this manner.
So, consider this when searching for a job: Your network is your strongest tool. And these days, that includes your online network. LinkedIn has always been an excellent place to gather information about prospective employers. And social media sites like Twitter and Facebook are emerging as sources to better connect with your job prospects.
For a moment, think about stepping away from the traditional job boards and take a look at social media. The answers might surprise you.