Thread Rating:
08-06-2011, 10:34 AM
With so many people looking for work, I thought that I would start a thread for tips, questions, and answers about searching for jobs. (My search is apparently over as I will be returning to work Monday to start the process of becoming an employee for the company that has been awarded the contract for the project that I have been working on the past 14 months. Until I am actually sitting in my cube writing code, I am leaving the door open on a few job opportunities.)
First, my favorite job sites on the internet:
Career Builder - In my opinion, this is the best general job and career site on the web. Many newspapers around the country post job openings simultaneously in print and on the website. No matter where you are looking for a job, you should take a look at this website.
Monster - This is a huge website and IMO, a close second for general job searching and career planning tools.
Dice - If you are looking for a job in the information technology field, this is hands down the best site to use if you must pick only one.
Next, in case you are willing to relocate for a job (as I am), I have found the following web site invaluable in getting a quick overview of the quality of life that a city or town offers:
Sperling's Best Places - This is a great website. The first thing that I check when I evaluate an area is the crime rate for the city where the job is located and the second thing that I look at is the cost of living. Assuming that those are too high for my tastes, I open Google Maps and start looking for nearby cities and towns that have lower crime rates and costs of living. Google Maps also lets me quickly calculate my commute time to a potential new job. There is a world of difference in a 15 mile commute in the DC area and a 15 mile commute from Johnson County to Prestonsburg.
Sperling's Best Places also allows you to compare any two places in its large database by crime rate, cost of living, transportation, economy, etc.
Please post your own tips and links that others might find useful in searching for a new job and/or relocating to a new area.
First, my favorite job sites on the internet:
Career Builder - In my opinion, this is the best general job and career site on the web. Many newspapers around the country post job openings simultaneously in print and on the website. No matter where you are looking for a job, you should take a look at this website.
Monster - This is a huge website and IMO, a close second for general job searching and career planning tools.
Dice - If you are looking for a job in the information technology field, this is hands down the best site to use if you must pick only one.
Next, in case you are willing to relocate for a job (as I am), I have found the following web site invaluable in getting a quick overview of the quality of life that a city or town offers:
Sperling's Best Places - This is a great website. The first thing that I check when I evaluate an area is the crime rate for the city where the job is located and the second thing that I look at is the cost of living. Assuming that those are too high for my tastes, I open Google Maps and start looking for nearby cities and towns that have lower crime rates and costs of living. Google Maps also lets me quickly calculate my commute time to a potential new job. There is a world of difference in a 15 mile commute in the DC area and a 15 mile commute from Johnson County to Prestonsburg.
Sperling's Best Places also allows you to compare any two places in its large database by crime rate, cost of living, transportation, economy, etc.
Please post your own tips and links that others might find useful in searching for a new job and/or relocating to a new area.
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08-06-2011, 10:53 AM
LWC Wrote:Good stuff! I do like career builder as well.It is a great site but for my field, Dice will generate far more contacts from recruiters and potential employers. I also love Sperling's Best Places - it is great for planning a trip as well as for conducting a job search. The data is not perfect for all areas, but it is the best way to get a quick snapshot of an area's quality of life.
I also like to use Google Map's Street View feature to actually look around cities and towns before I travel to them. Being able to look online at an office building or factory and the neighborhood surrounding it can tell you quite a bit about what it might be like to work there.
08-06-2011, 02:57 PM
I'll have to check Dice out.
I'm in the Networking field with a certificate and CCNA level experience.
I'm in the Networking field with a certificate and CCNA level experience.
08-06-2011, 03:15 PM
zaga_fan Wrote:I'll have to check Dice out.1,101 jobs are listed with "networking" and "CCNA" listed in the job title or description on Dice. Unfortunately, only 6 of them are located in Kentucky and 3 of them in West Virginia but none in eastern Kentucky. The lack of jobs in my specialty area is why I left Kentucky about 10 years ago. There are 120 job listings containing both words in the DC Metro area.
I'm in the Networking field with a certificate and CCNA level experience.
Besides the job listings, you can post your resume on Dice (on Monster and CareerBuider as well) and make it searchable by potential employers. My best leads have come from recruiters and companies who found my resume through a search. By the time jobs are posted, often many applicants have already been submitted to the employer for consideration.
The downside of making your resume searchable is that you will get some spam from companies wanting to retrain you as an insurance salesman or something equally unrelated to your experience. It also takes awhile after you find a job to turn off the spigot of emails asking if you are still looking for a new job. In my case, I decided that it was well worth the trade off.
08-06-2011, 04:45 PM
Hoot Gibson Wrote:1,101 jobs are listed with "networking" and "CCNA" listed in the job title or description on Dice. Unfortunately, only 6 of them are located in Kentucky and 3 of them in West Virginia but none in eastern Kentucky. The lack of jobs in my specialty area is why I left Kentucky about 10 years ago. There are 120 job listings containing both words in the DC Metro area.
Besides the job listings, you can post your resume on Dice (on Monster and CareerBuider as well) and make it searchable by potential employers. My best leads have come from recruiters and companies who found my resume through a search. By the time jobs are posted, often many applicants have already been submitted to the employer for consideration.
The downside of making your resume searchable is that you will get some spam from companies wanting to retrain you as an insurance salesman or something equally unrelated to your experience. It also takes awhile after you find a job to turn off the spigot of emails asking if you are still looking for a new job. In my case, I decided that it was well worth the trade off.
Did I mention I'm a licensed insurance agent.....
that's why I stray away from those sites lol
They have absolutely nothing to lose by hiring anyone off the street.
As long as you sell one policy they have made their money off of you and will move on to the next one.
08-06-2011, 05:45 PM
This is a great thread guys. If any of us knows of any place that is hiring, we all should do our best to get those openings posted here as well.
08-08-2011, 08:39 AM
For those who are out of work right now on unemployment, i believe the government will allow you to draw unemployment if you go back to school and pay you until you graduate, i may be wrong and im sure hoot may know, but its an easy way to go to school full time and bring the money in without working.
08-08-2011, 09:35 AM
RunItUpTheGut Wrote:For those who are out of work right now on unemployment, i believe the government will allow you to draw unemployment if you go back to school and pay you until you graduate, i may be wrong and im sure hoot may know, but its an easy way to go to school full time and bring the money in without working.
I tried to look into that.
I have an associate's degree right now and If I could go back to school to finish up my Bachelors I would do it in a heartbeat, but that may not be an option.
My wife is student teaching right now and my check is the ONLY way we pay bills.
Taking a paycut would be worth it to go back to school, but if I can't make the bills it wouldn't lol
08-08-2011, 10:41 AM
Some advice:
1. Take Career Builder and Monster with a grain of salt. There are a ton of job postings on there, but there are also a bunch of jobs you may want to avoid. Telemarketers, cold calling sales jobs, and other jobs with extremely high turnover use these sites very aggressively due to the massive amount of people on them. These companies are very good at impulsing you into interviews or multiple interviews and may be a HUGE waist of your time.
Also, as a small company I never post my openings on these sites because we simply don't have the time or resources to have to weed through the huge amount of resumes and interviews required in the hiring process.Just like there are many undesirable employers, there are also undesirable applicants.
2. Take advantage of your State Universities. Most of them have job boards and conduct job fairs regularly. Most can put you on a mailing list. Morehead State has an especially active department as I posted an opening there a couple years back and they still send me an email about every 2-3 weeks letting me know of upcoming career fairs I my want to participate in.
3. A little research goes a long way. Most of your large companies will ONLY post their openings on their own website to avoid some of the things I outlined in point #1. I would research which companies are growing, which companies are planning to build new facilities, and then go to their respective websites to see if they have a "Career Opportunity" tab.
4. Network like crazy. EKY is at a disadvantage because it's rural nature takes away things like "Young professionals" groups and the like. I still recommend attending social events and different functions where you have an increased likelihood of running into business owners and people in management positions. Think about events put on by Chambers of Commerce, cultural events that require sponsorships (plays, concerts, art exhibits, etc), and ground breaking ceremonies. Don't be afraid to introduce yourself and engage conversation, but don't be too forward with your intentions.
When I hire the first thing I want to do is either look at someone I already know or someone who is recommended by a friend.
1. Take Career Builder and Monster with a grain of salt. There are a ton of job postings on there, but there are also a bunch of jobs you may want to avoid. Telemarketers, cold calling sales jobs, and other jobs with extremely high turnover use these sites very aggressively due to the massive amount of people on them. These companies are very good at impulsing you into interviews or multiple interviews and may be a HUGE waist of your time.
Also, as a small company I never post my openings on these sites because we simply don't have the time or resources to have to weed through the huge amount of resumes and interviews required in the hiring process.Just like there are many undesirable employers, there are also undesirable applicants.
2. Take advantage of your State Universities. Most of them have job boards and conduct job fairs regularly. Most can put you on a mailing list. Morehead State has an especially active department as I posted an opening there a couple years back and they still send me an email about every 2-3 weeks letting me know of upcoming career fairs I my want to participate in.
3. A little research goes a long way. Most of your large companies will ONLY post their openings on their own website to avoid some of the things I outlined in point #1. I would research which companies are growing, which companies are planning to build new facilities, and then go to their respective websites to see if they have a "Career Opportunity" tab.
4. Network like crazy. EKY is at a disadvantage because it's rural nature takes away things like "Young professionals" groups and the like. I still recommend attending social events and different functions where you have an increased likelihood of running into business owners and people in management positions. Think about events put on by Chambers of Commerce, cultural events that require sponsorships (plays, concerts, art exhibits, etc), and ground breaking ceremonies. Don't be afraid to introduce yourself and engage conversation, but don't be too forward with your intentions.
When I hire the first thing I want to do is either look at someone I already know or someone who is recommended by a friend.
08-08-2011, 11:29 AM
Now lets say you find a position and they are interested in an interview with you, a few things to know IMO:
1. Treat every phone call as if it is an interview. Answer professionally and be conscious of your grammar, but don't be afraid to show personality.
2. Familiarize yourself with the "S.T.A.R. Method of Answering" if they do in fact conduct a phone interview to qualify you.
3. Invest in a suit and have it tailored. Joseph A Bank stores always have a good sale going on. If you can find a S&K Menswear they have extremely good deals on suits. Invest in a pair of dress shoes and polish them. Remember to match your belt to your shoes and never wear white socks with dress shoes.
I would purchase two dress shirts, a standard white and a color of your choice. I would purchase 3 ties in case the interview process requires multiple steps. LEARN TO TIE A DOUBLE WINDSOR KNOT! The rule of thumb for tie length is you want the very tip to touch the top of your belt buckle.
4. Purge out all unnecessary info on your resume, keep it as concise and pertinent as possible. When I receive a resume over 2 pages I almost immediately disregard it.
Print multiple copies of your resume on actual resume paper, do not use standard copy paper.
In lieu of listing a bunch of references on your actual resume, list "Reference Sheet Available Upon Request". Have an equal amount of copies of this sheet available, make sure it is printed on the same resume paper and laid out symmetrically. I would give one alongside your resume to the main person interviewing, but refrain from doing so unless asked for by others.
5. Research the company you are interviewing with and have questions prepared accordingly. Try and incorporate hints of your research in the questions to show initiative. Example:
"I see your company has grown 11% in the past year alone, what do you feel has contributed to this growth and do you expect this trend to continue?"
6. Do not be the first to bring up money. It's tacky and an insult for someone who is granting you the opportunity to interview.
7. Avoid eliminating yourself. Do not ever talk about yourself in a negative light. Even if the interviewer specifically asks what your weaknesses are, find a positive spin. For example instead of saying "I am not very good with numbers" say "I require more time and effort with numerical issues because I want to make sure my work is correct.". Instead of saying "I get overwhelmed when I have too many things to do" say "I have an issue delegating thing to do because I want to make sure they are done properly."
1. Treat every phone call as if it is an interview. Answer professionally and be conscious of your grammar, but don't be afraid to show personality.
2. Familiarize yourself with the "S.T.A.R. Method of Answering" if they do in fact conduct a phone interview to qualify you.
3. Invest in a suit and have it tailored. Joseph A Bank stores always have a good sale going on. If you can find a S&K Menswear they have extremely good deals on suits. Invest in a pair of dress shoes and polish them. Remember to match your belt to your shoes and never wear white socks with dress shoes.
I would purchase two dress shirts, a standard white and a color of your choice. I would purchase 3 ties in case the interview process requires multiple steps. LEARN TO TIE A DOUBLE WINDSOR KNOT! The rule of thumb for tie length is you want the very tip to touch the top of your belt buckle.
4. Purge out all unnecessary info on your resume, keep it as concise and pertinent as possible. When I receive a resume over 2 pages I almost immediately disregard it.
Print multiple copies of your resume on actual resume paper, do not use standard copy paper.
In lieu of listing a bunch of references on your actual resume, list "Reference Sheet Available Upon Request". Have an equal amount of copies of this sheet available, make sure it is printed on the same resume paper and laid out symmetrically. I would give one alongside your resume to the main person interviewing, but refrain from doing so unless asked for by others.
5. Research the company you are interviewing with and have questions prepared accordingly. Try and incorporate hints of your research in the questions to show initiative. Example:
"I see your company has grown 11% in the past year alone, what do you feel has contributed to this growth and do you expect this trend to continue?"
6. Do not be the first to bring up money. It's tacky and an insult for someone who is granting you the opportunity to interview.
7. Avoid eliminating yourself. Do not ever talk about yourself in a negative light. Even if the interviewer specifically asks what your weaknesses are, find a positive spin. For example instead of saying "I am not very good with numbers" say "I require more time and effort with numerical issues because I want to make sure my work is correct.". Instead of saying "I get overwhelmed when I have too many things to do" say "I have an issue delegating thing to do because I want to make sure they are done properly."
08-08-2011, 11:45 AM
EKUAlum05 Wrote:Now lets say you find a position and they are interested in an interview with you, a few things to know IMO:
1. Treat every phone call as if it is an interview. Answer professionally and be conscious of your grammar, but don't be afraid to show personality.
2. Familiarize yourself with the "S.T.A.R. Method of Answering" if they do in fact conduct a phone interview to qualify you.
3. Invest in a suit and have it tailored. Joseph A Bank stores always have a good sale going on. If you can find a S&K Menswear they have extremely good deals on suits. Invest in a pair of dress shoes and polish them. Remember to match your belt to your shoes and never wear white socks with dress shoes.
I would purchase two dress shirts, a standard white and a color of your choice. I would purchase 3 ties in case the interview process requires multiple steps. LEARN TO TIE A DOUBLE WINDSOR KNOT! The rule of thumb for tie length is you want the very tip to touch the top of your belt buckle.
4. Purge out all unnecessary info on your resume, keep it as concise and pertinent as possible. When I receive a resume over 2 pages I almost immediately disregard it.
Print multiple copies of your resume on actual resume paper, do not use standard copy paper.
In lieu of listing a bunch of references on your actual resume, list "Reference Sheet Available Upon Request". Have an equal amount of copies of this sheet available, make sure it is printed on the same resume paper and laid out symmetrically. I would give one alongside your resume to the main person interviewing, but refrain from doing so unless asked for by others.
5. Research the company you are interviewing with and have questions prepared accordingly. Try and incorporate hints of your research in the questions to show initiative. Example:
"I see your company has grown 11% in the past year alone, what do you feel has contributed to this growth and do you expect this trend to continue?"
6. Do not be the first to bring up money. It's tacky and an insult for someone who is granting you the opportunity to interview.
7. Avoid eliminating yourself. Do not ever talk about yourself in a negative light. Even if the interviewer specifically asks what your weaknesses are, find a positive spin. For example instead of saying "I am not very good with numbers" say "I require more time and effort with numerical issues because I want to make sure my work is correct.". Instead of saying "I get overwhelmed when I have too many things to do" say "I have an issue delegating thing to do because I want to make sure they are done properly."
Incredible advice! I had a seminar I was required to go to for my major and they basically said the same things, they didn't mention the double-windsor, but I will certainly remember it to tell others (my current employment appoints me, so I do not have to interview anymore, ever.)
08-08-2011, 09:52 PM
EKUAlum05 Wrote:Some advice:This is good advice as far as it goes, but many companies search resumes that are posted on the major job sites but never post the jobs that they have available. This has been the best source of job leads that I have found in my field. I don't know what it costs for employers to be able to search resumes but many of them do so without advertising their openings.
1. Take Career Builder and Monster with a grain of salt. There are a ton of job postings on there, but there are also a bunch of jobs you may want to avoid. Telemarketers, cold calling sales jobs, and other jobs with extremely high turnover use these sites very aggressively due to the massive amount of people on them. These companies are very good at impulsing you into interviews or multiple interviews and may be a HUGE waist of your time.
Also, as a small company I never post my openings on these sites because we simply don't have the time or resources to have to weed through the huge amount of resumes and interviews required in the hiring process.Just like there are many undesirable employers, there are also undesirable applicants.
As I said, if you make your resume searchable, you will get some emails from some characters trying to scam you - but it is pretty easy to spot the scammers and hit the delete key. If you are out of work, then it is worth the time and effort, IMO.
EKUAlum05 Wrote:When I hire the first thing I want to do is either look at someone I already know or someone who is recommended by a friend.This works for many types of jobs but in my case, the only job that I every got because of who I knew (an engineering job) was the first one I held after graduating from UK. Every job that I have ever had in the IT field, I have found through online job sites - or to be more accurate, employers have found me through those sites.
As for the rest of your advice, you make many excellent points.
08-08-2011, 10:00 PM
I almost forgot to mention one great website, which EKUAlum05's advice to "Network like crazy" reminded me of.
LinkedIn - It is never too early to open an account on this web site to begin building a business network. Millions of people use this site to keep track of business contacts and network. As the years go by, it is easy to lose email addresses and phone numbers of coworkers, past employers, and friends, any of whom might help you land your next job.
There are other business networking websites but IMO, this is the best one and a basic account is free. (I tried a premium account for a few months but decided it was not worth the added benefits for my situation.)
LinkedIn - It is never too early to open an account on this web site to begin building a business network. Millions of people use this site to keep track of business contacts and network. As the years go by, it is easy to lose email addresses and phone numbers of coworkers, past employers, and friends, any of whom might help you land your next job.
There are other business networking websites but IMO, this is the best one and a basic account is free. (I tried a premium account for a few months but decided it was not worth the added benefits for my situation.)
08-09-2011, 05:31 AM
zaga_fan Wrote:I tried to look into that.
I have an associate's degree right now and If I could go back to school to finish up my Bachelors I would do it in a heartbeat, but that may not be an option.
My wife is student teaching right now and my check is the ONLY way we pay bills.
Taking a paycut would be worth it to go back to school, but if I can't make the bills it wouldn't lol
Ah, I see.
Well you could do like 90% of Americans who draw disability or welfare and collect your check and then find a job paying cash to fill it out to what you need to pay your bills while still going to school.
Maybe some kind of moving job or lawn care type of job would probably pay cash, while not legal id rather see somebody like you who would be going to school and making yourself better than a lowlife sorry ass collecting a check when absoloutly nothing is wrong with them and they still work for cash.
08-09-2011, 10:20 AM
RunItUpTheGut Wrote:Ah, I see.
Well you could do like 90% of Americans who draw disability or welfare and collect your check and then find a job paying cash to fill it out to what you need to pay your bills while still going to school.
Maybe some kind of moving job or lawn care type of job would probably pay cash, while not legal id rather see somebody like you who would be going to school and making yourself better than a lowlife sorry ass collecting a check when absoloutly nothing is wrong with them and they still work for cash.
LOL
That's really one of my main options right now.
But it all lies in my dislocation being registered with the Trade Assistance program so that I can be paid for school.
I got to thinking and if I went full-time in reffing basketball games I would be in good shape coupled with my unemployment.
But unless we are eligible for the Trade program and I can go to school I'm not going to let unemployment be an option.
I'm just a year and a half away from an education degree.
08-11-2011, 08:15 AM
zaga_fan Wrote:LOL
That's really one of my main options right now.
But it all lies in my dislocation being registered with the Trade Assistance program so that I can be paid for school.
I got to thinking and if I went full-time in reffing basketball games I would be in good shape coupled with my unemployment.
But unless we are eligible for the Trade program and I can go to school I'm not going to let unemployment be an option.
I'm just a year and a half away from an education degree.
that sounds like a good plan
08-23-2011, 01:25 AM
Anyone hear of any new openings?
Anyone know about finding jobs that require little experience?
My wife has work experience just not PAID experience in her degree field. (2-3 years experience as a Certified Nurse Aide, and about two years worth of practicums and internships). She graduated in December with her BA degree in Human Services & Counseling. We live VERY close to Lexington, Danville, Harrodsburg, Nicholasville, Lancaster and Stanford.
My wife has work experience just not PAID experience in her degree field. (2-3 years experience as a Certified Nurse Aide, and about two years worth of practicums and internships). She graduated in December with her BA degree in Human Services & Counseling. We live VERY close to Lexington, Danville, Harrodsburg, Nicholasville, Lancaster and Stanford.
01-08-2013, 03:47 PM
Have you tried reaching out to the local recruiters or companies like Kelly Services? I would recommend making contact and seeing if they can line up any of the openings that they are attempting to fill with your wife's qualifications.
01-09-2013, 12:04 AM
Fayette County Department of Mental Health should have listings or contacts, as well as, the school systems for Guidance Counselor postions available.
Hospital psych and substance abuse departments come to mind also. Wish you both well and prayers for a good fit.
Hospital psych and substance abuse departments come to mind also. Wish you both well and prayers for a good fit.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
-Mahatma Gandhi
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
-Mahatma Gandhi
01-09-2013, 09:08 AM
LWC Wrote:Anyone know about finding jobs that require little experience?
My wife has work experience just not PAID experience in her degree field. (2-3 years experience as a Certified Nurse Aide, and about two years worth of practicums and internships). She graduated in December with her BA degree in Human Services & Counseling. We live VERY close to Lexington, Danville, Harrodsburg, Nicholasville, Lancaster and Stanford.
UK has a number of jobs posted that she may qualify for. If interested I could post the link to the job listing.
01-09-2013, 12:41 PM
She may be able to get a job in the prison system as a mental health counselor or something like that. I know it pays very well.
01-09-2013, 02:27 PM
3. Invest in a suit and have it tailored. Joseph A Bank stores always have a good sale going on. If you can find a S&K Menswear they have extremely good deals on suits. Invest in a pair of dress shoes and polish them. Remember to match your belt to your shoes and never wear white socks with dress shoes.
I would purchase two dress shirts, a standard white and a color of your choice. I would purchase 3 ties in case the interview process requires multiple steps. LEARN TO TIE A DOUBLE WINDSOR KNOT! The rule of thumb for tie length is you want the very tip to touch the top of your belt buckle.
No wonder I don't have a new job!! I don't have any of this stuff!! I can; however, tie a double windsor!
I would purchase two dress shirts, a standard white and a color of your choice. I would purchase 3 ties in case the interview process requires multiple steps. LEARN TO TIE A DOUBLE WINDSOR KNOT! The rule of thumb for tie length is you want the very tip to touch the top of your belt buckle.
No wonder I don't have a new job!! I don't have any of this stuff!! I can; however, tie a double windsor!
01-10-2013, 04:15 AM
Seems like you guys are just talking about one specific industry. I'm not much for computer science.
01-14-2013, 10:10 AM
Here is the link as of today...
https://ukjobs.uky.edu/applicants/jsp/sh...ts_css.jsp
Hope this helps and let me know if I can help in any other way.
https://ukjobs.uky.edu/applicants/jsp/sh...ts_css.jsp
Hope this helps and let me know if I can help in any other way.
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