FEATURE ARTICLE

The Jobs List - Where to Find Them
By Lolita Villa

True, times are hard. Most of the time, you'll hear people saying that jobs are hard to come by. Though opportunities don't exactly grow on trees, it's not impossible either to look for one, provided you know where to look. There are a number of rich sources where you can find companies who are in need of talented people like yourself. It's just a matter of looking in the right places, and having the diligence to keep on looking until you hit your mark.

The Classified Ads
When people tell me that they need to find a job, I always tell them to look in the papers first. It's interesting how some people are not very interested to do that, no matter how desperate they are. Truly, all that scanning and clipping is hard work in itself. But there are a lot of job postings in the papers, as you'll find most companies that are still comfortable in recruiting via this most traditional of media. Not only that, but the newspaper has a wider reach than some types of media. That's why you won't lack for choices there.

Besides that, you can also look into the newspaper's business section, so that you can get an inkling into the latest about the industry you're looking to work into. All this is useful information, in helping you decided where and how to position yourself.

Job Fairs
Remember those booths lined up on the side of the football field of your university, or the gaily-colored banners during foundation day or some such campus activity? Well they're called job fairs, if you don't remember, and they are another exciting way for you to find that dream job. Job fairs are not always held in campuses, though these are some of the common venues. Some recruitment campaigns can also take place in larger scale job expos such as those sponsored by the DTI or those held at trade centers. Attending one will give you a broader perspective about who's looking and what they are looking for.

Referrals
Personal referrals may often be a most effective way to get a job; if a friend of yours drops in a good word about you at the office he or she works for, it might just guarantee you easy access to employment status, especially if your friend holds a lot of clout in the office. It also helps the employer get comfortable with you easily since he or she will be banking on the credibility of the person who referred you to the company. Unfortunately, this way tends to overlook important procedures that might give rise to potential problems later on. Use your good judgment, and live up to the expectations of the people who have heard so highly about you.

Agencies and Headhunters
Don't be confused: you go to the agencies, while headhunters find you. Agencies recruit a lot and focus on entry level to middle management applicants, and have a list of vacancies on them. Sometimes, a part of your salary or a fee from the employer will go to an agency's commission for a given period of your employment. On the other hand, headhunters hunt down high-end applicants, and sometimes pirate them for companies who are looking for top people to fill in their slots. These kinds of recruiters have one goal in mind: to fill in the work needs of their employer/client. So be sure to be in touch with such people - they can do the walking for you.

Internet
The best thing about this medium is you get the opportunities fresh and fast. Not only does the Internet have thousands of local and overseas job opportunity listings, but it also provides job hunting advice. This is the best way to apply if you hate the paper hassles of printing out your resumes, attaching pictures, mailing them, waiting for a reply, etc. However, this requires that as much as possible you have your own unit and Internet connection at your personal disposal. Otherwise, you might risk missing an e-mail reply from your prospective employer, all because you didn't check your mail on time.

Don't hesitate to try out all these options. But even if you don't see an ad from a company that you want to join, don't hesitate to send your applications to those companies who aren't currently listing. Some employers keep extra resumes on file and refer to them, once a vacancy arises.