Where The Jobs Are: U.S. Cities With Good Prospects

Posted on Yesterday, 04:02 pm, under Career Advice

The economic situation still isn't that great, according to the Economic Policy Institute, but it's been steadily improving within the last few months. As of September, there were around 6.1 applicants for every available job, on average. Fortunately, the increase in the unemployment rate has been slowing somewhat, as the economy starts to turn itself around.

Of course, the picture isn't the same across the whole country. Some cities have better employment prospects than others, due to a variety of factors. If you've been wondering about the best cities for getting a job, Indeed.com compiled a list comparing 50 of the most populous areas in the country and their job-to-worker ratio as of September 2009.

Washington, D.C. sits at the top of the list, with a job-to-worker ratio of 1:1. It's followed by Baltimore, also with a 1:1 ratio. Meanwhile, Salt Lake City, San Jose, Boston, and New York all have good ratios of 1:2. The rest of the top ten is rounded out by four cities with a 1:3 ratio -- Hartford, Oklahoma City, Seattle, and Denver.

At the other end of the spectrum, the top 5 worst cities for finding a job are the following: Rochester, NY (1:7), Las Vegas (1:8), Riverside, CA (1:9), Miami (1:12), and Detroit (1:18).

Washington, D.C. has benefited from the large number of government jobs, as well as the numerous openings in its non-profit organizations, law firms, defense contractors, and professional associations, and education sector. The government is the city's largest employer, but schools ranked surprisingly in third place.

Boston, on the other hand, is noteworthy for the jobs created by its hospitals, universities, and research institutions. In addition, because of its highly-trained and educated workforce, a growing number of software and biotechnology firms have chosen to establish themselves in the area. Finally, Boston was able to avoid the worst of the subprime financial crisis in part due to the presence of numerous hedge funds, deposit banks, and trust services.

Being in a location with great employment prospects can really help your chances of finding a job. Of course, finding opportunities is only part of the equation. But if you're considering relocating to a new city to find employment, it pays to be prepared; see our article on that topic to know more.  

How To Get Leads on New Jobs

Posted on Yesterday, 04:00 pm, under Career Advice

"Where do I start my search?" This is the first and perhaps most important question that job seekers have to ask themselves. You have to keep in mind that there is no single source for good employment leads. However, there are several ways for you to generate them for yourself:

1. Newspaper want ads - Once the primary information resource for job seekers, ads have somewhat diminished in importance as companies increasingly shift their job postings to the internet. And usually, by the time you read the advertisement in the paper, the position has already been filled. Generally, want ads are of greatest help to entry-level job seekers, though you may still be able to find opportunities by checking out these job listings.

2. Internet job boards - People usually start their job search by checking online boards, and it's no wonder why. Finding employment that fits your skills and geographic location is a lot easier over the Internet. Thousands of companies post their openings online, and there is a large number of job sites with updated, searchable databases. But you must not limit yourself solely to looking online, no matter how easy Internet searches are compared to other methods. Check out our article on how to get the best results out of your online job search.

3. Networking - As we've stressed before, networking is a key factor in a successful job search. It's simply the best method for getting job leads, period. The larger your network of contacts, the better your chances of finding employment opportunities. Ask the people you know for information and assistance with your career: family, friends, associates, colleagues, customers, neighbors, classmates, etc. It takes time and effort to grow your network, so read up on how to do it here.

4. Alumni offices - Your college alumni association is a great source of job leads. There's bound to be some alumni in your field who can help you find an opening or point you in the right direction. All you have to do is ask at your alumni office for contact information on these people.

5. Cold contact - Contacting companies who aren't overtly advertising openings is one of the few ways to access the enormous "hidden" job market, where you'll find around 70 percent of all job openings. (Read more about hidden jobs here.) Make a list of potential employers and obtain information on them by consulting company directories, trade periodicals, and online sources. When you find a position that fits your skills, get the email or number of the hiring manager, and send a tailored resume and cover letter. Focusing your efforts in this way will yield far better results than simply mass mailing your application to every company out there.

6. Actual legwork - This is probably one of the oldest methods for generating job leads. Knock on the doors of potential employers in your area, submit your resume, and ask if you could interview for a position. This method works even better if you've managed to make a successful "cold" phone call or email.

You must remember, however, that no job lead will ever result in anything if you don't follow up on it. You can't just submit your application and then sit on your hands, waiting to be called. Always schedule a follow-up period to confirm that your letter and resume were received, and to ask about a potential interview. Don't let your hard-won opportunities slip away. Be polite but persistent if you want to get results. 
 

The Best Way to Look for Work Online

Posted on Yesterday, 03:57 pm, under Career Advice

The Internet is a truly powerful tool for finding information, and today's job hunters are fortunate to have it at their disposal. In fact, it's probably one of the first places you'll check when you start looking for work. If you really want to maximize your results when searching online for employment, here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Know your job sites.

There are three main job site categories that are of interest to job hunters. The first includes general job boards such as Indeed.com, and Yahoo HotJobs, where companies from diverse industries can post their openings online for public browsing. 

Then, there are industry-specific sites such as Legal Hire, Academic Employment Network, Careers In Business, and Empowering Health Jobs, which provide links to opportunities in a particular field.

Finally, area-specific sites like those of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce or FloridaJobs allow you to search for employment within a particular geographic region of the US or the world.

2. Use online networking services.

Getting in touch with people has never been easier with the advent of social networking, yet many job-seekers fail to maximize the potential of sites like Facebook, MySpace, Orkut, and LinkedIn. Don't forget that your relatives, friends, former officemates and other connections are all potential allies in your job search. 

And you don't have to stop there. Try to seek out industry connections using online services and get your name and resume out. Networking sites that cater directly to job-seekers include Real Contacts, Networking for Professionals, and ZoomInfo.

3. Never search using your work computer.

This should be a no-brainer, but sometimes temptation (or boredom) can be too great to resist. So we repeat: don't look for work on company time and using company equipment. It's unprofessional, and there's a greater risk nowadays that you'll get caught; many employers have begun to use software that tracks and records employee Internet usage.

Instead, do your job hunting after you get off from work, from an Internet cafe, from home, at a free Wi-Fi hotspot, or at your local library. And of course, never use your current work email account when sending applications or corresponding with potential employers.

4. Use resumes that are tailored to each job.

Never use a generic resume and cover letter when applying. Check the requirements of the position you're applying for, and make sure your resume lists the relevant keywords and skills that the employers want.

5. Focus your efforts when applying.

To save time and energy when job-hunting, you should identify a handful of openings that fit your experience and abilities well, and then prepare the best application possible for each of them. 

6. Avoid sending applications on weekends.

If you're currently working, it's only logical that you'll do most of your job hunting during your spare time, including weekends. This is good, but you should wait until weekdays to send your actual cover letter and application. A lot of spam is sent during weekends, and there's a greater likelihood that your letter will get lost when the HR manager's inbox is stuffed with junk email.