In this Issue:
Internet Resources
The internet is a very useful resource in any job search. First and foremost though, is networking with everyone possible to include family, friends, neighbors, former customers, suppliers, employees, supervisors, recruiters, trade and professional associations, alumni, etc. In order to do this, you must get contact information. Start with http://www.switchboard.com/ or http://www.google.com/. Enter the name and some other qualifier to simplify your results.
The next step in any search is to research the market and determine which companies to target. A terrific source for this is Reference USA. It is an online business database available exclusively through your public library. With a library card, you can usually access it from your desktop PC. You can search by name, SIC, location, revenue, number of employees, etc. You can download names, titles, addresses and telephone numbers.
You can also use the Thomas Register at http://www.thomasnet.com/ to search for companies by industry and location. You can use search engines like Google or Yahoo by entering a company name, linking to their website and check for job postings. Enter a specific industry and many websites will be offered. Enter a specific industry and the word “association” and you can check for trade associations with job postings.
To find a recruiter, go to http://www.searchfirm.com/ or http://www.kennedyinfo.com/ where for a fee you can create a list of search firms. The Directory of Executive Recruiters published by Kennedy, is available in your local bookstore and is segmented by industry, function and geography with all contact information provided. It should be on every executive’s bookshelf.
For $100K plus executive positions, http://www.6figurejobs.com/ is free and http://www.executiveregistry.com/, http://www.netshare.com/ and http://www.execunet.com/ charge a nominal fee to access job postings.
Other useful websites that are free include: http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/, http://www.careerbuilder.com/, http://www.jobbankusa.com/, http://www.monster.com/, http://www.jobcentral.com/, http://cj.careercast.com/ and http://www.ajb.dni.us/ (Americas Job Bank). Job Central is owned by a group of employers where job openings are posted. CJ.Careercast is the Wall Street Journal job site.
If relocation is being considered, http://www.recruitersworld.com/, http://www.homefair.com/ and http://www.bestplaces.net/ are useful sites for considering cost of living differences.
Of course, this is only a small sample of what’s available on the internet. These are the sites that we find to be particularly useful to job seekers. Remember, the internet is just part of your overall job search plan and is a wonderful resource for getting information but the networking calls and follow-up is what will, more likely, pay dividends in the long term.
Bob Harrington Associates 