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Find a Job Using Your Inner Circle

Any time find yourself in the position of looking for a new job, you should explore all your options. That means looking at the resources that you already have at your fingertips and may not even realize. Everyone, whether they think so or not, has an inner circle which should be utilized first when on the prowl for a job.

Simply stated, your inner circle consists of those who you know already and talk to quite frequently. This can include your friends, family, former co-workers, various colleagues, and on and on. If you know them and have even slight communication with them, they are in your inner circle.

To take advantage of your inner circle as a job finding resource, you need to begin by first formulating a list. Sit down and write out the name of every person you can think of whom you can put on the list and also how you can contact them.

Once your list is complete, the real work begins. If you have e-mails for a majority of those in your inner circle, then the job is made a little bit easier as you can send out a blanket e-mail to them. For the others you will have to either call them or write them to make contact.

Basically, all you will tell them is that you are looking for a job. You can list what you would like to do, but always say you are open for suggestions. Usually what will follow is a whole bunch of responses from your inner circle members with either job leads or even a job offer.

The worst case scenario will be them not returning your e-mail or not answering the phone. However, since they will be part of your inner circle, chances are they will help you out if at all possible.

How Much Time Will It Take Me To Find A Job?

With the present economic downturn, more and more people are asking the question “How much time will it take me to find a job?” While there is no easy answer, much depends on you and what you do in terms of trying to find a new job. Here are some things that will help you speed up the process.

  • When you lose your job, go gracefully. Don’t take the opportunity to burn your bridges. Ask for a letter of recommendation. Never badmouth your previous employers.
  • Get up every morning and work on finding a job with the same dedication and time you would put into working. After all, finding a job is your new job.
  • Spend more time contacting companies and less time checking job ads in newspapers and online job banks. More employees are hired through direct contact with a company than through advertisements.
  • Brush up on your interview skills and practice your responses to typical interview questions.
  • Be open-minded about taking a job that pays less or has less status than your previous one. In this economy having a job is much more important. You can always work your way up too within the company too.
  • Consider moving for the right job. There are certain areas of the country where the economy has not battered the job market as much as in others. Don’t move before you have a contract however.

Use your time wisely when you are looking for a job and be open to every possibility. You may find that it takes longer than you expect it to but these tips will help to speed it along.

Beyond The Newspaper

Checking the job ads in the newspaper has always been a so-so way of finding out about job openings and who is hiring. These days, more than ever, these types of ads represent a tiny fraction of the jobs available at any given time. Therefore, it is important for the job seeker to look beyond the newspaper and try some nontraditional routes of finding a job.

  • Use social networking, like Facebook, Myspace and Twitter to learn about who is hiring. Such sites make it easier than ever to reconnect with people you haven’t seen in a while. Make sure that everyone you know is aware of the fact that you are searching for a new job. You never know where that tip you have been waiting for will come from.
  • Read business journals and the business section of your local newspaper. If expansion or growth is mentioned for any company in your area, check out if they are hiring. The company’s website may be a great place to start, as many companies list openings there first. You may also wish to send a resume with a cover letter mentioning where you learned about the growth of the company.
  • Check online job banks and the websites of major employers in your area.
  • Call and talk with someone at the local Chamber of Commerce to see if they have any tips on who is looking to hire.

Remember in a tight economy fewer companies are hiring and more people are looking for work, therefore competition is unparalleled. Be vigilant in seeking out unique ways to get the inside scoop on job openings and put every advantage you can on your side.

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