I really want to move to Raleigh this year (by summer's end I hope) and it's time to start looking for a job. Thing is, I haven't had to do that in over a decade :o
I updated my resume last year, so it won't take long to get it into shape. I'm just not sure where to start - what websites to use, should I post my resume or search for individual listings? etc.
I would at the least get a Linkedin presence. What field you in?
Quote from: selfdestroyer on April 16, 2013, 08:14:38 PM
I would at the least get a Linkedin presence. What field you in?
Journalism. I'm a newspaper editor - mostly working at page design and layout and manage the website for four hours every day.
I'm not necessarily looking for a journalism job. Open to whatever's out there.
I've heard of Linkedin, but that's about all I know. Is it really that valuable?
The absolute best thing you can do is have someone (like a HR specialist) review and tune up the old resume. I've read hundreds of resumes, and it seems most people don't get how to sell themselves. The advice I usually give is this - imagine you're a company, and you only have budget to produce one commercial this year, and it's only going to air once during the Superbowl. You want to make sure that by the end of that commercial, everyone knows who you are, what you do, and what you can do for them. A resume is exactly the same. I've deliberately not hired people who were likely overqualified for positions because they had lousy constructed resumes.
As far as finding a new job, if you have them, the best way is through friends. I've found my last three jobs through friends I have in my industry, and it beats any website searches everyday of the week. And typically once they know you're looking, they'll start feeding stuff to you.
Quote from: GermanCdn on April 16, 2013, 08:34:03 PM
The absolute best thing you can do is have someone (like a HR specialist) review and tune up the old resume. I've read hundreds of resumes, and it seems most people don't get how to sell themselves. The advice I usually give is this - imagine you're a company, and you only have budget to produce one commercial this year, and it's only going to air once during the Superbowl. You want to make sure that by the end of that commercial, everyone knows who you are, what you do, and what you can do for them. A resume is exactly the same. I've deliberately not hired people who were likely overqualified for positions because they had lousy constructed resumes.
As far as finding a new job, if you have them, the best way is through friends. I've found my last three jobs through friends I have in my industry, and it beats any website searches everyday of the week. And typically once they know you're looking, they'll start feeding stuff to you.
Thanks for the advice. Would you mind taking a look at my resume later this week when I get it freshened up?
Also, I've had some friends looking out for jobs for a while, but they're also in newspapers, which are still undergoing massive contraction. There aren't any jobs in Raleigh at the News & Observer because they make the paper in Charlotte. I haven't had to look for a job in so long because I've always had people I know find me. I'm just going to have to go it alone on this one.
Quote from: jubal81 on April 16, 2013, 08:21:07 PM
I've heard of Linkedin, but that's about all I know. Is it really that valuable?
Yeah, it definitely is! I've been at it for about a year and a half now and I'm pretty confident that if I lose my job tomorrow, I'll be working somewhere else (in the same field) next week. You just have to be really careful who you link with, what you post, and not treat is as another Facebook. A proper professional attitude works wonders over there (as in all things job related).
Paul
Thanks for the advice. Would you mind taking a look at my resume later this week when I get it freshened up?
Absolutely will. I also write wicked letters of resignation. :P
All the best with your change!
Quote from: GermanCdn on April 16, 2013, 08:34:03 PM
As far as finding a new job, if you have them, the best way is through friends. I've found my last three jobs through friends I have in my industry, and it beats any website searches everyday of the week. And typically once they know you're looking, they'll start feeding stuff to you.
This, this, this, and this for the top four items of advice.
It's not what you know, it's WHO you know, more often than not.
Its who you know.
Therefore, LinkedIn is a great resource.
Absolutely it is good for careers. They advertise jobs on there now.
Keep yourself marketable!
Good luck
LinkedIn is definitely a great tool once you get a decent network of connections. It's great for gathering intel on a company or position. I used it last week to figure out that my wife is connected to someone at a company I was considering applying to, so I got my wife to ask her connection for info. Turns out the company pays pretty crappy, so I didn't waste my time.
As for the resume and whatnot, a well-done resume is important of course. But I would say that your cover letter is as important as the resume, especially in a job that hinges on communication (journalism, for example).
I've only hired a couple people, but my process has been to quickly scan the resume to make sure they have the right background (skills, experience, education) and then I carefully examine the cover letter. If the letter impresses me, they are quite likely to get an interview.
I remember that I first got onto Linkedin because a firm I was interested in applying with literally only listed their openings there. So it is valuable. I've even had recruiters try to connect with me through Linkedin--I've heard that can be valuable but haven't actually tried it yet.
One thing I will say--definitely brush up your resume, but the cover letter is just as important. It's the place where you tell potential employers why the things on your resume matter. In the three positions I've been in after graduate school, I could tell during the interview process for two of those that they had looked at the cover letter much more than the actual resume.
I wonder if Raleigh has an alternative weekly or a magazine about the city that may be worth looking into?
Raleigh is a pretty cool town. I went to college there (NC State) and had my first job after school in nearby Research Triangle Park. It's a nice place to live, and there is a decent music/art scene. It's not Austin, but it's better than a lot of other place. :)
Quote from: culturejam on April 19, 2013, 03:38:51 PM
Raleigh is a pretty cool town. I went to college there (NC State) and had my first job after school in nearby Research Triangle Park. It's a nice place to live, and there is a decent music/art scene. It's not Austin, but it's better than a lot of other place. :)
I lived there from '96-'01 and I really liked it. I went to UNC, but my GF at the time was in vet school so I commuted. In addition to just really liking the area, I'm seriously considering going back to school at State and there's a TechShop in town. I don't know if you guys have heard of TechShop, but you buy a monthly membership and you have access to all kinds of machines and equipment, like CNC, laser cutters, 3D printers, oscilloscopes, etc.
There's something here in Madison like that; it's called Sector 67. I really like their business model.
I too am looking for the first time in a decade. A friend turned me on to indeed.com which is a search engine for jobs.
Also, I am a big fan of lifehacker.com - search their site for lots of interview and resume tips.
Good luck!
I too am looking for a job. Been without one for almost four years now. I have two things against me (so says the Employment Security Commission), I'm over fifty and the place I worked for twelve and a half years (was Cabarrus county's largest employer at the time). I was told that, in their mind, the potential employers can't pay what I made at that job. Would very much like to overcome those two items!
Anyway, I wish you the best of luck in your search. I hear Raleigh is a great place! Too far for me to drive and I can't relocate at the moment.
Jim
Thought I'd give a bit of an update.
After a lot of thought, I decided it made more sense to stick around here a bit longer and get the three prereq classes I need to transfer to N.C. State. I've become fascinated with circuitry the past three years and I really want to go into electrical engineering. Even though I have a BA, it's still probably going to take me four years starting now. Thought I'd dread it, but I'm really excited.
So calculus class started two weeks ago. I took it in high school, but that was way back in '95. Took my first math test in 17 years. OUCH. Haven't had time to work on any pedals - even to finish the Bubba Fet - because I'm watching math lectures nonstop trying to relearn all of high school math.
As far as the job goes, I'm looking into freelancing editing jobs. For going back to school, a gig where you work your own hours from home sounds pretty perfect.
Wow, this post got a lot longer than I planned. Time to go back to finding derivatives ....
Khan academy is a great source online to brush up on algebra and calculus.
The great advice has been given.
Just stay positive. It seems obvious but is not natural when faced with rejection and 99% nonreplies. My wife has been looking for a job for 3 years. She is incredibly overqualified for RN work and no will even bother to call her references.
Quote from: atreidesheir on June 09, 2013, 05:17:34 PM
Khan academy is a great source online to brush up on algebra and calculus.
The great advice has been given.
Just stay positive. It seems obvious but is not natural when faced with rejection and 99% nonreplies. My wife has been looking for a job for 3 years. She is incredibly overqualified for RN work and no will even bother to call her references.
That's pretty surprising. My three sisters are all nurses and it takes them no time to find a job.
Hmmm, maybe I should have treated this LinkedIn thing a little more seriously...
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=175036371
Depends on what you do for a living, and what your goals are. For instance, if you're really good at what you do, but might want to work abroad for an international company, LinkedIn is the way to go.
Paul
Ah getting there with my goals. There's just the hat thing that I can't pull off...
Quote from: juansolo on June 09, 2013, 05:56:40 PM
Hmmm, maybe I should have treated this LinkedIn thing a little more seriously...
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=175036371
Damn! I can't go look because I deleted my LinkedIn account.
Linked in and study everything you can in the area. Totally blows, but job apps are a science now and I had to go looking for a job after 27 years. I ended up getting a new gig thru some old friends and it's worked out really well but I did a 12 week program to market myself and it was a real eye opener. It's all about self marketing now and you may as well get used to the fact that you need to be good at it. The old days of putting on a tie and going to interviews are done.
The good news is that there's tons of resources out there and a lot of them are free or cheap. And the job market in most sectors is picking up a bit, as more business' are spending money again.
A tie?! :o
Right, that's it, I'm never working for the man again if they want me to wear a suit! Pah, PAH and thrice PAH!
I don't really believe LinkedIn is that valuable to getting a jobs. Seems pretty spam heavy in my limited experience.
Anyways, best of luck with school & jobs, Jubal81. I've lived in NC for 13 years and am in a similar boat myself. If you're into music journalism, check out this magazine I picked up a couple days ago http://www.shufflemag.com/