9 places to find job opportunities

If you are a follower of this blog, you already know that I recently got hired at Event Design Group as an event coordinator. What you may not know is where I found the job.

I've posted in the past about how job search sites like Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com have allowed their sites and their reputation to go down the drain because they make you believe that many of the employers are reputable when in actuality many of them are not. I've learned that with them it's all about money. As long as someone pays for the ad space, anyone can post a job "opportunity," which is different from Craigslist that really doesn't build themselves to be anybody.

The funny thing about Craigslist is that is where I found my current job. Interesting to say the least. I've searched and searched Craigslist and other job sites for months getting burned by fake job postings, unqualified employers, and questionable freelance opportunities but I guess it's true what they say, "If at first you don't succeed...." you know the rest. Through my 8 month long search, I have found that some job sites are better than others and some job sites are unexpectedly useful.

9 Places to Find Job Opportunities
[These are in no particular order.]

1. Alumni Job Boards
   If you are one of the millions of fortunate people out there to have gone to college and graduated, you can make your alma mater work for you. Literally! Many colleges and universities have alumni job boards or associations that help you find the right job just because of your affiliation with the school. You paid all that money to receive a higher education, so make it work for you!


2. oDesk
   I found oDesk through another blog, whose name escapes me at present. I like it because you set up a free account as an employee and have to go through tests to get your account approved. Meaning you have to spend time to prove that you are who you say you are. Even better, employers have to go through a very similar process. If you are looking for something for extra income or wanting to get into the freelance market, oDesk is excellent for that.


3. Mediabistro
   For those aspiring journalists and communication specialists and those in creative fields, mediabistro is excellent. Not only does it post local and national jobs, but they also provide you with quality articles about various industries and businesses.


4. LinkedIn
   So I've heard many things about Linkedin. How as a brand you can get reviews and clients and notoriety. I've also heard that you can get jobs by connecting with people you already know that can connect you with other people. It's like a technological version of nepotism meets 6 degrees of separation. *iKid*


5. Craigslist
   So, I've posted about Craigslist before. In this post alone, I've mentioned Craigslist at least 5 times. It's alot of things to alot of people. You can make it work for you in finding a job opportunity but it depends on what you want to do and how much time you have. Finding a job on Craigslist means that you are going to have to do a bit of research. Sure there are opportunities out there, but you have to find them. If something isn't right, don't apply.


6. Indeed
   I've used Indeed on many occasions. They have job postings from all over and it makes it pretty easy to categorize the jobs you're looking for by location, occupation, pay, hours, etc.


7. Jobster
   Jobster is another job site, like Indeed that makes navigation easier when looking for job opportunities. If you're like me and tired of the Monster and Careerbuilder, Jobster is a nice site to look for opportunities


8. Twitter/ Facebook
   Now-a-days EVERYONE has a Twitter and/ or Facebook page. If you're a company that doesn't that's okay, it's not for every business. However, if you are a nobody wanting to be a somebody, you're losing if you don't have these pages. In the Facebook marketplace, not only can you find that old couch that reminds you of dorm days gone, but you can also find a pretty nice job. They are connected through other job sites like Oodle and Indeed. With Twitter, you simply have to follow the PR, HR, or CEO of a company you want to work for and hope they post new job openings. But realistically, it's probably better to follow one of the many profiles of job opportunity posters like @atl_joblist and @tweetmyjobs


9. Personal Blog
   For those who are a new to the blog, I originally created it as a way to allow my employers to have constant access into what type of employee I would be. With this blog, they had access to my resume, multiple portfolios, and the opportunity to see my knowledge of new media. It has certainly helped me get the job that I have but now it has morphed into a tool to motivate others to get the job and/ or find their passion. You can create a blog that showcases your talents too! And maybe you'll get the job or maybe you'll find a new career for you!

So gone are the days of newspapers and business to business applications. With technology you can do many things, but with knowledge and creativity you can do even more. If you are unemployed or an unemployed entrepreneur, use these great places to find and create job opportunities for yourself.

The Unemployed [but Empowered and Helpful] Entrepreneur