The Dos and Do Nots of Job Hunting

It can be tough to find a job in today's "frozen" economy. Everywhere you look, people are getting laid off and companies are making cutbacks. There's no question, no one can afford to waste time using ineffective techniques in hunting for a job. In his book What Color is Your Parachute?, job-hunting guru, Richard N. Berkeley offers tips on how (and how not) to find a job. Some of his tips may surprise you. According to Berkeley: The five worst ways to find a job are:

1. Using Internet searches (4.1 percent of those who randomly search the Internet find jobs there).
2. Mailing out resumes to employers at random--the shot-gun approach (7 percent success rate).
3. Answering ads in professional or trade journals (7 percent success rate).
4. Answering local newspaper ads (5 to 24 percent success rate).
5. Using private employment agencies or search firms (2 to 28 percent success rate).

The five best ways to find a job are:

1. Asking for job leads from friends and family, staff at career centers or community contacts (33 percent success rate).
2. Knocking on the door of an employer that interests you, whether they are known to have a vacancy or not (47 percent success rate).
3. By yourself, using a phone book to identify companies that provide fields of interest to you, contacting them and asking about potential jobs (69 percent success rate).
4. In a group, using a phone book to identify companies that provide fields of interest to you, contacting them and asking about potential jobs (84 percent success rate--two or more heads must be better than one).
5. Conducting an in-depth "job hunt experience," in which you spend time investigating what you want to do with those who are doing it and using them to guidance and as referrals (86 percent success rate).

On a related note, Dr. Jacquelyn P. Robinson of Auburn University conducted a study about job searches that revealed some similar results. Robinson found that many Americans wrongly believe classified ads and a "shot-gun" approach to handing out resumes are good ways to gain job leads. Interestingly, she found that employers cited state employment agencies as the largest source for new hires. Behind state employment agencies, Robinson found that current employees who referred friends, family or acquaintances were the next highest source for jobs. More from Robinson's study can be found here.

Happy hunting!

Contributing: Tijs Sirrine