8 answers
John’s Answer
I agree with the previous answers. You should definitely start with doing research to understand what career areas you are interested in and your short term/ long term career goals. Then research roles available in your area or the area you would like to live. Please use resources such as LinkedIn, Careerbuilder, Monster.com and Indeed when applying for jobs. They have a variety of postings and many employers use these sources for staffing.
Jessica’s Answer
Kim’s Answer
If you are looking for a job to get you through school, or the summer, as opposed to a career: You can look at websites like "snagajob" which lists a lot of hourly positions in retail and other such places. Or, you can go to the company's website of a company you want to work for. Use a REAL computer, not your phone, as not everything works right on the phones!
On the company website, near the top, or the bottom, of the home page, look for links such as "Careers", "Employment", Jobs. It might be part of another heading, so, for example, hover over "About us" and perhaps a sub-link will pop up. You just have to look around.
Take your time and READ the instructions, don't just start filling in the blanks. Every blank with an asterisk is required to be completed. Sometimes these on-line applications are tricky. You need to make sure information is in the correct format (such as phone numbers). Sometimes the correct format is in tiny print, or pops up if you do it wrong. Sometimes you just have to keep guessing. Yes, it can be very frustrating.
Another frustrating part is called the on-line assessment. They ask a bunch of questions about how you would handle certain situations. Sometimes the answer you would give is not one of the choices, so you just pick the best answer. They do these to select who they want to consider. A lot of the questions are about customer service, safety, theft, etc. For example, if you saw a cashier looking around, and then slipping money into her pocket, would you: a) tell the supv b) confront her c) nothing, because you did not see her take it from the register.
hope this has helped!
Juan’s Answer
If you are in college, look into when your school will be holding career fairs. They are a good way to learn more about companies and potentially land internships or full-time offers. Also, look into whether or not your school has a career website where you can look for opportunities where employers are looking specifically for students like yourself. Also look into the timelines of when the recruiting process takes place within your industry. Usually employers like to get their interviewing done during the September, October time frame, so try to plan around those time frames.
Best of luck on your career progression!
Julia’s Answer
Your first step is to figure out what your career interests are, what you're good at, what you want to do in the future, etc. Then it's as simple as a google search for opportunities in those fields or searching the open positions in specific companies (directly through their website) that you're interested in. If you're still in college, be on the lookout for career fairs and utilize the career services center. There may be non-profits in your local community that perform these services, as well. They have connections throughout the community that will greatly help you.
Nancy’s Answer
Great basic question and you've gotten many helpful suggestions. Here is another one that may be of use. Try reaching out to the state Employment Development Department. Here in California they have a very helpful website. As another contributor suggested... take your time and read the sections on how to find a job and apply for one. Try to get a checklist together with all the information you might need. For example, if you have a drivers license have it handy, along with your social security information, contact information, emergency contacts etc.. You might even look at making an appointment to visit your local EDD and meet with an employment advisor. Be open minded when you're offered suggestions/jobs... often you will find that something you didn't think was of interest, may actually be a fulfilling job that offers opportunity to learn and develop skills. Good luck!
Nancy recommends the following next steps:
Alex’s Answer
Justin’s Answer
To add to Julia's answer, LinkedIn is also a great resource to both connect with recruiters and find potential job opportunities. In order to maximize the visibility of your page, add keywords relevant to the industry you want to work in. It's also important to have a strong resume as you start your job search. In your resume, you want to quantify your accomplishments and show the impact that you had in both your work and other experiences.