Looking for a job can be a challenging experience. Knowing where to look is half the battle. Jobs are found using four major categories. The chart below indicates the ratios of success in each category and where people actually look for work.
| Job Search Method |
Where Jobs Are Found |
Where People Look |
|
Advertisements / Internet
|
14% |
65% |
| Agencies / Recruiters |
13% |
27% |
| Approaching Companies |
30% |
3% |
| Word-of-Mouth Referrals |
36% |
5% |
Successful job seekers strive to spend their time in each major job-searching category according to its ratio of success. People who spend their time approaching companies and using word-of-mouth referrals (networking) find jobs faster.
Building a network consists of talking to the people you know who can either help you directly or lead you to someone else or more information. People to consider in developing your network include the following:
| Friends |
Former employees |
|
Members of professional organizations
|
Former students |
| Friends from your mission |
School classmates |
| Present or former teachers |
Neighbors |
| People you play sports with |
Fraternity or sorority members |
| Relatives |
Members of your church |
| Former coworkers |
Members of your social club |
| Former employers or supervisors |
People you know from community service |
Developing “Me in 30 Seconds” statements and power statements will help you introduce yourself with confidence and successfully describe your interests, talents, and accomplishments.
Attending a Career Workshop will help you more effectively develop and use your network.
Find the location of the nearest Career Workshop.
