Need a job, friend? Pull up a chair and join the crowd. Though the economy is slowly – ever… so… slowly – showing signs of stirring from its extended slumber, the unemployment rate in this country currently hovers near the ten percent mark. Needless to say, it hasn’t been this high in decades. And with more applicants joining the pool of unemployed every day, and full-time employment still scarce as ever, the million-dollar question is simply as follows: How do you find yourself a job right now?
Interestingly, experts generally agree that even in this digital, oh-so-connected day and age, there really is no substitute for pounding the pavement. Prospective employers like to see that you’ve taken the time to get off your duff to visit them in person. Moreover, phone calls, emails, and online contacts simply aren’t capable of conveying all those wonderful little in-person intangibles that separate you from the pack.
However, pavement pounding will only get you so far. What if, for example, your dream company resides in a state that’s halfway across the country? What if you want to connect with dozens or hundreds of potential employers rather than a handful? Today, the vast majority of businesses, whether local, regional, or Fortune 500, make use of the Internet in one form or another to seek out prospective employees or at least begin the recruiting process. And that’s good news for you, the new hire. But where to start? Not to worry – just see our comprehensive guides to online job hunting, resume building, networking and interviewing below: