The web is filled with so many job sites that it’s now difficult to navigate through all of them. The issue becomes more pressing during a bad economy: those looking for jobs need to make better efficacy of their time and are much more desperate for employment. Having gone through this exact situation before, looking for a job when the Dow was below 7,000, these are the sites that worked best for me during my job search.
1. Linked In Jobs – Work Your Connections
It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. When someone first told me this, I thought he was full of it and giving me bad advice. After working four years in the corporate world, I realized he was only giving me the bitter truth.
Linked In Jobs is unique because it combines a normal job search with your network connections. When you find a job you like on the website, Linked In Jobs will tell you if anyone in your primary or secondary network works at that company. Looking for a job at a random company? Your odds are low in a bad economy. Looking for a job at a company where you know someone? Now you have a chance.
One of the requirements is that you need to keep your Linked In profile active and make a lot of connections. But keep in mind, whether your in an up, down, or sideways economy, who you know is always the most effective way to get a new job. No matter how secure you feel, you should always keep your Linked In profile up to date.
2. Indeed – Save Time Reviewing Postings
In a normal economy, it’s important to focus on quality over quantity for jobs because you don’t want to end up getting an offer for a job you don’t want. In a down economy, the rules change and quantity becomes a much more important factor. This is why job aggregation sites like Indeed are so useful.
Indeed allows you to search for job keywords based on your zipcode.  Indeed then aggregates job postings that match your search criteria from various different job sites and company websites as well.  The aggregation feature saves you a ton of time and helps you spot duplicate postings before you apply. The zipcode feature is key because in a down economy, you’re not likely to move and companies aren’t going to relocate you, so you should prioritize jobs near your home. With Indeed, you could easily apply to several relevant jobs within a 10 mile radius in a matter of minutes.
3. Craigslist – Find Inefficiencies in the Market
Craigslist is primarily known for getting great deals on obscure items from sketchy people. But did you know you can get decent jobs from Craigslist too?
Before you let your skepticism take over, please keep in mind these aren’t massage jobs, veiled personal ads, or adult advertisements of any sort. Yes, that’s what Craigslist is known for, but there’s an actual vibrant job market on the website.
Craigslist postings are free and in a down economy many companies, including some large ones, can’t afford to pay a great deal to advertise for jobs. Therefore, a lot of decent companies end up posting on Craigslist to save money. Startups especially are known for skimping on job advertising and using this channel for hiring. With this kind of supply, it’s definitely possible to find a legitimate job on Craigslist. Plus, with the negative stigma around using Craigslist for jobs, you’ll likely face less competition.
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