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Job Options

After choosing the fields you are most interested in, it is time to find a job to apply for. Start looking for jobs in your areas of interest. Remember to remain open minded and optimistic while searching for a job listing. Sometimes a job that does not seem appealing at first may be perfect for you, and sometimes it takes many searches to find something of interest.

Step 1: How to find a Job Opening

Step 2: Online Resources

Step 1: How to find a Job Opening

Women Work!:

The Women Work! Network is made up of hundreds of employment and training organizations across the country that provide referrals, career and personal counseling, and job placement support to women and families. To find a Women Work! member in your area, visit our National Directory (www.womenwork.org) or give us a call at 202-467-6346.

Personal contacts:

Often very competitive jobs are filled without being advertised. Instead many employees find new jobs by networking with people they know like friends, family, former co-workers, or acquaintances. These people can put you in touch with a job early on in your search and provide a positive reference to your character.

School career planning and placement offices:

These offices in high schools and colleges are designed to help their students and alumni find jobs. They provide job listings, career counseling, job search advice and help with writing resumes, cover letters, and interviewing.

Employers:

By researching on the internet or at the library you can develop a list of employers in your desired field. You can look at their websites to find job listings and learn how to apply for them. Don't hesitate to ask employers for an informational interview, which is not an interview for a job, but a way to find out information from a knowledgeable source about the industry and job you're seeking.

Classified ads in national and local newspapers:

Newspaper ads provide many job openings, but it is important to remember that these listings sometimes do not give all the important information. They may not give an accurate description of the position, working conditions, or pay. The employer may not be identified or the ad may only give a post office box so follow-up questions may be difficult. Though an option, you should keep in mind to look other places as well.

Internet networks and resources:

A great resource for every aspect of the career search, the Internet allows you to look for job postings, learn about employers, and help with your job search. Some job banks are listed below.

State employment service offices:

Located in every state, these offices help put employees and employers in contact with one another at no cost to either. To find your state's employment service office check out this website (www.bls.gov).

Federal Government:

There are a variety of positions available with the Federal government, which can be accessed through www.USAJOBS.com or by the telephone at (703) 724-1850. This number is not toll free so charges may apply.

Professional Associations:

Many professional associations offer career services, which you can access by internet, phone or mail. However, you typically need to be a member to use these services.

Labor Unions:

Labor Unions provide a variety of employment opportunities to members, such as information about internship and apprenticeship programs. For more information contact the labor union you're interested in, or call your State Apprenticeship Council.

Private employment agencies and career consultants:

Though usually helpful, these agencies may charge you for their services. Most charge on a commission basis where the fee is based on the salary you receive from a position. Make sure you understand the exact costs and who is responsible for paying them before you decide to use their services.

For more information on these topics check out the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics web site.

Step 2: Online Resources

Below are some web sites you can use to start your job search. Most are free and let you search by job type, city, salary and other features.

www.womenwork.org - The Women Work! Job Finder allows you to post your résumé, search job openings, and sign up for free email alerts when a job matching your criteria is posted.

www.ajb.dni.us - America 's Job Bank has over 2 million jobs waiting to be searched by type of job and location.

www.allstarjobs.com - provides job and employment agency listings searchable by job type, city and state.

www.careerbuilder.com - helps you to build your career online, allows you to post your résumé, and search through thousands of job listings.

hotjobs.yahoo.com - lets you save different versions of your résumé online and different types of job searches so you can find new listings when they appear.

www.monster.com - has an enormous job database, allows you to submit your résumé online for some jobs and offers extensive job search advice.

www.craigslist.com - allows you to select the city you are looking in and search for full- or part-time work in different fields.

www.idealist.org - has a large listing of jobs, with descriptions on each company and listings for career fairs. They specialize in non-profit jobs.

www.employmentguide.com - The Employment Guide lists jobs by type and location as well as offers other job resources for job seekers.

www.bestjobsusa.com - Search The Best Jobs Employment Review by industry category and state.

www.careermag.com - Career Magazine lets you browse information specific to different career channels and your own career goals.

These Websites don't offer job listings, but give links to other websites that do:

www.employmentoffice.net - The World Wide Web Employment Office puts you in touch with other sites that can help you find jobs and other resources

www.rileyguide.com - The Riley Guide lists job search sites along with summaries of what each includes.

Your local newspaper may post job listings on its website. Check out www.newspaperlinks.com to find your local paper's web page.

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