Kickstarting Your Job Search: Full-Time & Part-Time Job. Remote Work & More

WHERE AND HOW TO FIND JOBS IN THE US

Finding a job is always a nervous and stressful process, and it is particularly difficult because we not only search for a job, but our dream job, or at least the job relating to the skills we honed while at school or home. Nevertheless, there are more available jobs now than ever with the presence of social media and the internet. People can now post ads for job vacancies with the click of a finger and those at home searching can find jobs faster and apply as well.

In the United States, in particular, there is a current job excess. This means there are more jobs than people willing to work, so it could be the best time to apply for the job of your choice. Of course, the availability and saturation of a job depend on the kind of job. For example, demand in healthcare is currently at a higher level than a surveyor. We’re going to be talking about tips you should adopt before and when applying for job offers or going to job interviews.

WHAT TO KNOW WHEN APPLYING FOR JOBS

Let me set the scene; you want to apply for a job vacancy or go for a job interview but you don’t know how to go about it. Many people have been in this same scenario and despite it being nerve-racking, I assure you that there isn’t a need to be so stressed. You just need to follow a few important steps and it will increase your chances of not only making a good impression but being hired as well. Let’s run through them:

Online is better

Many people don’t know this, but the US Government has an official site where its citizens can search for and apply for jobs. This is only one of the examples that highlight the fact that online is the best place to find jobs. So, before going from shop to office doing interviews, I would advise that you check online as it has a wider array of offers for the job you wish to do. This golden computer age has allowed us to find both traditional jobs and more modern freelancing work.

Have a well-done Curriculum Vitae

The importance of your C.V or Curriculum Vitae cannot be overstated. A Curriculum Vitae is a document detailing your achievements throughout your lifetime in a professional manner, particularly the ones relating to you looking good for a job. It is different from a resume which is more of a summary of your accomplishments. C.Vs go into detail and are very thorough, so try to make yours as in-depth as possible. A great C.V could be the difference between a person getting a job and being passed for another.

Start early

This might sound like a basic one, but you’d be surprised by how many people do not follow this simple rule. With anything you wish to do, starting early is always a benefit. Are you in college and are thinking about companies hiring or freelancing for your field of study? Why not start an internship or begin getting the tools you need for remote work while you’re still at school? Even job vacancies can be sorted based on when the companies receive the offers. If a firm finds their candidate at number 35, chances are they’re not going to keep going to the 57th candidate.

Try to build a good network

When people hear the word ‘networking’ they generally think of rich moguls knowing each other and their rich kids as well as friends of the elitist class. While this is also a form of networking, it can also apply in the more regular sense. The friends you keep and their mindset could aid you in the long run. People who are forward-thinkers are more likely to come across opportunities that would help you. If you can build a network with an influential person, that helps too. This can apply to internships - being chummy with your boss - relatives, school and personal friends, or other parts of life. Always try to leave a good impression and get in contact with people you think will be helpful to you.

Focus on the best websites when searching for job vacancies.

While there can be good jobs to be found in the more obscure sites now and then, the big companies that tend to pay very well don’t put job vacancies on the smaller or lesser-known websites. Big pharma and huge tech corporations will post their vacancies on websites like Indeed - arguably the best online site to find both part-time and full-time jobs - and Linked-In (the old and respected platform for finding jobs.) Other popular websites are CareerBuilder and FlexJobs. These websites receive a ton of job vacancies and applications daily, hence, increasing the possibility of you finding the job you want and getting hired.

Knowing yourself

One of the worst things you can do during a job interview or a job application is selling yourself as someone who can do anything. This is because when you advertise yourself as someone who can do anything well, you also advertise yourself as someone who cannot do anything very well. One of the things recruitment and selections teams look for are Jack of all trades so they can weed them out. In most firms, specialization is preferred and sought after because it creates more jobs for more people and increases productivity within the company. You need to focus on being the best you can be in one area of a field. Know what you are good at and what you aren’t and make it explicitly clear what you can do best to your potential employers.

Know your employer

Always do your homework before any job interview or application. You need to understand the person or company that you wish to impress. Whether it involves scouring their websites and their current employees or reading up on the person who is to hire you to know what he likes and doesn’t, do it. In the hiring process, it could come down to splitting hairs. A simple remark or shared interest could be the difference between you and other candidates during the interview process. It could be business or leisure-related, but if you can find anything that could be to your advantage, use it.

Prepare

The last one might alsosound obvious, but many people do not prepare in the right way. It could be an individual not practicing what he or she is going to say or dressing wrongly for the interview. Prepare your diction, posture, and clothes. Interviewers can use anything as a reason not to hire you or say you aren’t a fit for the company. Managing your emotions and improvisation when thrown a curveball during the interview is also important. Prepare for the unexpected as well as the expected.

WHERE CAN YOU FIND JOB OFFERS

While many sites have a more general range of jobs - a wide variety of jobs can be found when searching for job vacancies - there are areas specifically for certain types of jobs or job natures. Here, they will be categorized with particular recommendations for each area:

Part-time jobs

Part-time jobs are for those who want a side hustle beyond their current job, are students that need extra cash, or just want a job that does not consume as much time as a full-time job would. For hourly work, the best site you can find such jobs is Snagajob. Local jobs in your area have Craigslist and CoolWorks is for those searching for seasonal work. All these sites can be useful when searching for part-time jobs.

Full-time jobs

For full-time jobs, there will be more in-person interviews - although some are now done on Zoom - especially when it comes to large firms. Beyond that, you can find online full-time jobs everywhere. The two main sites are Indeed and LinkedIn, but newspapers and word of mouth are also good ways to know about jobs that would suit your talents. You need to be studious and consistent for a full-time job otherwise, a part-time job might just suit you if you are too spread out doing many things.

Factory work

Amazon and other packaging companies accept job offers via email or their websites. For example, Amazon has a specific website where they post job vacancies as do many other companies. Patience, physical capability, and humility are some of the best things you could have or learn when working at a factory or packaging section of a company. You can check the US Government official job website or the big companies’ official website as well as Indeed for job offers of this form

Remote work

For those working from home and who want a remote job, Freelancer, Upwork, and Fiverr are the best websites to use. Upwork, in particular, has very friendly and understanding clients with a responsive support team. As long as you have a skill set needed by a client, send your offers on time, and have good management over your ‘connects’ you’ll have a positive experience on the site.

Jobs for teenagers or undergraduates

Other than working at fast-food restaurants for part-time pay as a waiter, you could also check a good online site like CollegeGrad which has great jobs especially aimed at students. Try to not pick a job that affects your school work negatively. A good balance is always advised.

Jobs for veterans and old people

Good jobs for older people are being a driver, salespeople, teachers, residential nurses, among others. The U.S Department of Labor has a website specifically for veteran job opportunities, so checking there would be a good start. This should go without saying, but any job requiring a huge amount of physical exertion should not be one an elderly person goes after, so aim for the more mental and knowledge-based jobs.

Finding a job doesn’t have to be an aimless endeavor. With the right push and good determination, you can get a good-paying job that suits your skills. I hope this article helps increase your chances of getting hired.