Good Career Hunting

People looking for jobs should make job hunting a full-time endeavor. Finding the right job means knowing where to look for opportunities and which employment resources are available at your disposal. There are a number of channels through which you can learn about career opportunities.

Referrals or word of mouth

This is one of the most powerful avenues for job seekers. Other people like friends or former co-workers can be a valuable source of job leads and referrals. Even if no one you know is in a position to hire you, they may be in a position to refer you to someone else.

Internet

Most people rely in the Internet since it is fastest and most efficient job hunting tool. Going online mean having access on the current information at all hours—meaning, the Internet is the most convenient channel in job search. Other than that, the Internet can help applicants explore career alternatives and options suited for them.

Region	Internet Users (as of 2009)	Global Users Percentage
Asia Pacific	738,257,230	42.6 %
Rest of the world	995,736,511	57.4 %
World Total	1,733,993,741	100.0 %

Source: http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats3.htm

Agencies and Headhunters

Perhaps, this is one of the most popular and effective avenue for job applicants. Finding a job through this channel alleviate a lot of job searching. Agencies and headhunters do all the searching to fit you with an appropriate employer. Applicants need only apply once, and the rest is up to them.

Headhunters	Specialization	People working	Revenue Origin
	Search	Staffing Consultants	Clients
Agencies	Recruitment	Agents	Employees & Employers

Newspaper and Recruitment Ads

For many job seekers, the newspaper and other online job ads continue to be the primary source of information. Employers advertise vacancies in newspapers and job sites so candidates can get information about the company.

Recruitment Drive and Exhibitions

This tool is effective because it helps job seekers get an overview of the types of jobs available and it opens up wider network of prospective employer contacts.

Top 5 most promising entry-level careers

Choosing the right career is laden with difficult choices and unexpected challenges. Students nowadays tend to choose a course that would generate a high-paying income. Let’s face it: everyone wants a career that allows their responsibilities— and their income—to grow year after year. Students are now wiser in choosing a career path that is both right for them and for their future.
Here is a list of entry-level careers that is a sure fit for every graduate’s goals.

Environmental Engineers
Issues concerning the environment are becoming more important, now more than ever. Most companies are venturing into ecological initiatives and other projects to improve their business. That’s why Environmental Engineers are hired to manage and develop the demands of this growing business.
One of the benefits of this career is that one has the opportunity to work outside the four corners of an office. It is flexible and offers a great package.

Network Systems/Data Communications Analyst
Information Technology is one of the fastest growing industries worldwide. Here in the Philippines, the Business Process Outsourcing community is just one of the many IT-related industry that brings more jobs and more career opportunities to the Filpinos.
Formal education is not necessary in this field. As long as one has a certification of his skills or any has taken a two-year course, he can be considered in the position.

Marketing Research Analyst
Now more than ever, companies need research analyst to reposition their business in the market. Recession has weaken the economy that’s why most firms hire research analysts to build their business again.
Starting in this position can make one excel in terms of analysis and business conceptualization which could lead to a brighter future—going up the corporate ladder or managing your own business.

Copywriter
Contrary to popular belief, people can earn through writing. With the booming demand for online content writers and advertisements, copywriters have a huge position in the job market.
This field need not be a major of Journalism or Communication Arts. This job only requires fluency in English and a unique writing style. In some firms, it offers flexibility in terms of work arrangements.

Sales Associate
One good thing about sales is that you can enter the industry even without a diploma on Sales and other related courses. The position offers higher packages due to commissions and other benefits for every successful deal.
Like marketing, Sales also paves way for growth—stepping to a higher stage or managing your own business.

There are a number of jobs in the market that offers the best packages. But one needs to carefully decide and weigh the pros and cons before entering any paper agreements. Hence, a career should be evocative and boost one’s market value.


Source: Goodman, M. (2010). Entry-Level Jobs With Big Earning Potential. Retrieved March 5, 2010, from http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles

Social network your way to career

Networking is a vital element of any job search. Today, social networking concept and strategy makes it easier for anyone to land a job.

Most companies are using social media as means to market their job vacancies. Apparently, the trend now is that employers check out the social networks (blogs, Facebook, Friendster, etc.) of prospective hires and this usually has an effect on their decision to hire or not.

And just as they use tweets, social networks, blogs and the like to pitch their vacancies, they are also looking on how job seekers of today utilize these channels as means for job search.
Below are tricks to tweet, poke, ping and post your profile to the emerging virtual channels:

Master the art of omnipotence

The rule of thumb for any job search is to make yourself visible and available at any given time. You need to be visible across the web. Establish yourself in various avenues for easy access of prospective employers. One can do this by creating accounts to each of existing social networking sites today and by writing blogs to sell yourself.

Clean-up digital dirt

One’s online personality serves as their resume. Job seekers are cautioned in presenting themselves online. Online appearance projects the image you want your prospective employer to see. The best things one can do to assure that his online personality is ‘clean’: Proofread the information that you are going to post on these online channels; Avoid nasty photos and messages. According to CareerBuilder.com, the largest US online job site, candidates must “clean up digital dirt” before beginning a job search by removing photos, content and links which could hurt their chances.

Think of a good value proposition

Searching for a job is a marketing task--you are marketing yourself to a specific audience. And as with any good marketing plan, you need to develop the message that you want to get across. Define the message, and then figure out how to get that message heard. Find information that backs up the claims you make about yourself.

Establish professionalism from the start

Creating one’s accounts in each of the virtual sites is an easy task. However, a job seeker is liable with any information that he’s going to post. Be aware that employers are specialized in candidate hunting. They are using their own tools and resources to investigate and confirm information one has posted.

Information are collated from http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-how_to_social_network_your_way_into_a_job-1133 and http://www.newmedia.com.ph/fix-your-facebook-get-a-job/