EmploymentDigest.net

Job Search Strategies: Pros and Cons

Posted on 15. Aug, 2005 by Bill in Employment News

Job Search Strategies: Pros and Cons

There are many ways to look for a job, some of which are better than others. Presented below are some of the most popular ways, as well as helpful hints and pros and cons of each.

Want Ads

Strategy
Scan want ads. Mail resume with cover letter tailored to specific job qualifications.

Tools
Newspapers
Journals
Newsletters
Trade magazines
Cover letters
Resumes

Pros
Involves minimal investment of time in identifying companies. Resume and cover letter are sent for actual job opening.

Cons
Resume and cover letter will compete with large number of others. Ads follow job market; least effective in times of economic downturn.

Helpful Hints
Use as a meter on the job market in a certain career field.
Try to get your materials in as early as possible.

Employment Agencies

Strategy
Respond to employment agency ads in newspapers; check phone book for names of agencies to contact.

Tools
Resumes
Business attire

Pros
Fee-paid jobs for graduates in technical fields or those with marketable experience.

Cons
May be less help to nontechnical/inexperienced graduates. Be wary if you, instead of the employer, have to pay a fee.

Helpful Hints
Identify agencies that specialize in your field.
Make frequent contact with your counselor to obtain better service.

World Wide Web

Strategy
Search online job banks and company Web sites. Submit resume online/post on job boards.

Tools
Access to the Web
Electronic resume

Pros
Actual job openings. Many employers use a wide variety of job listing services. Many listings have free to low-cost access. Worldwide geographic reach.

Cons
Competition is growing as use of the Web increases. Many jobs listed are technical in nature, though the visibility of nontechnical fields is growing.

Helpful Hints
Use the Web frequently as information and sites change quickly.
May need to conduct your search at off-peak times (early morning or late at night).

Targeted Mailing

Strategy
Develop good cover letter tailored to a specific type of job and the needs of the company. Send letter with resume to selected companies.

Tools
List of well-researched companies
Tailored cover letters
Resumes

Pros
Better approach than the mass-mailing method. Investment of time and effort should merit stronger response from employers.

Cons
Requires a significant investment of time in researching companies and writing cover letters as well as following up with contacts.

Helpful Hints
Try to find out who is in charge of the area in which you want to work; send your materials to that person. Great method when used in conjunction with networking.

In-Person Visit

Strategy
Visit many companies. Ask to see person in specific department. Submit resume and application, if possible.

Tools
Business attire
Company address list
Resumes

Pros
Resume and application are on file with the company.

Cons
Requires a great deal of time to make a relatively small number of contacts.

Helpful Hints
Research the companies prior to your visit. Ask for a specific person or ask about a specific type of job.

Networking

Strategy
Talk to everyone you know to develop a list of possible contacts; ask for information on job/companies and to circulate your resume.

Tools
List of contacts
Resumes
Business attire

Pros
May learn of unadvertised openings. May result in a courtesy interview. Often results in a closer match of your interests to a job.

Cons
A contact in itself is not enough to get you a job. You may exhaust all leads without landing a job. Quite time-consuming.

Helpful Hints
Follow through on all leads.
Keep broadening your network of contacts.

On-Campus Recruiting

Strategy
Follow specific procedures to secure on-campus interviews.

Tools
Scheduling interviews
Employer literature
Resumes
Business attire

Pros
One of the primary ways in which companies recruit for technical and business positions.

Cons
May be less effective for nontechnical/nonbusiness candidates.

Helpful Hints
Use the interview schedule as a way to identify possible employers, even if you don’t get to interview on campus with those employers.

Resume Referral

Strategy
Register with one of the many national referral services. As jobs are listed by employers, the data bank of registrants is searched for matches. If your materials match, they are sent to the employers.

Tools
Registration form supplied by service.

Pros
Another way to monitor the job market and get your qualifications to the attention of employers.

Cons
May involve a fee. Often more helpful to those in technical or specialized fields. May not learn of the status of your materials.

Helpful Hints
Use only in conjunction with other job search strategies.

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Tags: Employment News