Searching for Jobs

Job search is very difficult. There are a plethora of jobs out there, and a great number of ways to search for them. In my experience - and the combined experience of those who have advised me on the subject - not all job postings are equal.

Try to think of all job opportunities as leads, just as in any sales position. Certain leads will be easier to 'sell' to and others will need more convincing. In the sales terminology, we would call these leads either 'warm' or 'cold' respectively. There are channels for finding jobs that will deliver you 'warm' leads rather than cold ones. I have listed 3 examples below:

(1) Social Networks: There are a handful of social networks now that have online marketplaces for jobs. Several of them are designed specifically for professionals to post profiles and network with each other. In these cases, your profile (which will be visible to the hiring manager), will help to give more context around your resume and cover letter. This acts to 'warm' up the lead. Social networks like LinkedIn (which I use) also allow others to recommend your work which also goes a long way to warming your application.

(2) Campus job boards: If you're a postsecondary graduate, make sure to keep connected to your institution's job board. Applying for a job through one of these - especially a faculty/program specific job board - provides a warm lead. Think about it, the hiring manager has already pre-selected your education as a valuable criterion for the job by choosing to post at your school (alma mater). You're already halfway there, so long as your experience matches the job as well. The absolute best part about campus job boards is that they are often populated with jobs posted by other former graduates. This gives you instant relatability to the recruiter on the application and will provide easy conversation if an interview follows.

(3) Industry associations & publications: If you're looking to work in a specific industry, make sure to peruse the industry's association website and any industry publications for job postings and forums. This provides an instant warm-up function as it showcases your interest in the industry and your initiative with keeping involved. Such postings are also likely to have fewer applicants than those on major (general) job boards.