This week I want you to expand your mind and tap into your brainstorming capabilities for spying job openings outside of the usual online sites and job boards. Let’s go “old-school”, really get those creative brain cells working on your behalf and discover some possibly overlooked but potentially fruitful resources.
Before we get into this mode, however, we need to warm up our brains. Write down a list of all of your job requirements such as, full-time or part-time; size company you prefer to work in; what type of atmosphere you want to work in; how far away the job should be; the type of co-workers, policies, salary, and benefits you want in a job and company.
Once you have fine-tuned what position you are looking for and within what type of company, then you can put this criteria out to the world. The specifics will also be planted firmly in your brain so you will catch and acknowledge signs of opportunities you may have previously missed.
1) Family and Friends – Let your family and friends know your needs but make sure to only involve the truly supportive rather than critical members of those two groups. The last thing you need is for someone to keep sending you leads on jobs you either are not interested in or unqualified for, so be sure to be very specific about the type of position you are looking for and the type of company. And make sure you are appreciative of any effort made on their behalf.
2) Acquaintances – Give this same detailed information to your neighbors! If you don’t know your neighbors, now is the perfect time to get to know them as you clean up the yard, wash your car, or are still shoveling snow. Start by a simple hello and each day further your relationship. You never know if they will be able to help you find a job lead. In the meantime, you will have made a friend and added them onto your list of supporters and you may end up helping them out with their job search as well!
Also, don’t forget about your cashier or server or drycleaner either! The more people who know you are looking for a specific job, the better your chances of finding a valuable lead (possibly even before the job opening is advertised to the general public).
Important note: I mention this throughout my show to people and it is worth repeating! It is alright to ask for help! It’s okay to tell people you have been laid off and looking for work! Just remember to be very specific with what you are looking for so people won’t come to you with job offers either way below your skills or way above your skills leading you to say, “thanks but no thanks”. Too many of those and the person will just give up on keeping their eyes and ears open for job opportunities.
Give them something to work with, explain your skills succinctly to them, be flexible on what you would consider (especially these days) and show appreciation to the person supplying you with possible leads. It’s the right thing to do.
3) Phone Book – One of the most obvious resources you can use to look for a job but possibly one of the most overlooked is your phone book! That’s right, the thick heavy clunk of a thing that is deposited on your doorstep every year. I want you to pull this tangible and tactile resource out of it’s drawer and look in the yellow pages for the types of companies that could use your expertise.
Let your eyes roam the pages and if any of the ads strike your fancy, write it down. Do this quick scan for 15 minutes. This is your first pass through this resource. Choose the ones where you thought, “You know, I’ve always wanted to work in that type of company.” or “Now that company could use my help!” Follow your intuition and then make a phone call.
4) Newspapers & What’s In Them – Don’t just read the classified ads in the newspaper; check out the Local Services Page where companies promote their businesses and keep your eye out on the flyers that come along with the newspaper. I found one of my best jobs – one that I really enjoyed, by glancing at a small flyer within my newspaper one day. I called that particular business and, sure enough, they had an opening for an Assistant Manager! I had a preliminary phone interview, was asked to come down for a meeting, was hired, and then promoted twice within 6 months! All because I glanced at a simple little flyer and was curious about working in that type of business. Again, follow your intuition.
5) Local Businesses You Deal With – Another opportunity is to note which businesses you respect, admire or just plain LIKE within your area. Make a note of the businesses you visit on a regular basis and contact the ones you like who seem to be doing well. Call them or visit them and ask about job openings!
I did this as well one time and it got me the job! This store didn’t have any applications in but told me to call the next day to see if they had received them in the morning delivery. When I did so, I ended up speaking with the Manager, having a substantial phone interview and was asked to come down to meet with the District Manager. I was hired as their new Operations Manager that same day!
6) Chamber of Commerce – Look in your city’s Chamber of Commerce office for various association notebooks that often have job openings compiled for newcomers. There may be a Transportation Association or a Construction/Builders’ Association in your city; ask the Chamber if they have a notebook such as this in their office for the industry you want to work in. If they don’t have an association notebook with job openings, sometimes their office will have a notebook for that association where you can place your resume so the members can peruse that at their monthly meetings.
7) Association Lists – While you are at the Chamber of Commerce, ask if you can have a list of the members of the Transportation Association (or whichever association you are researching), so if they do NOT meet on a regular basis or have a notebook for you to utilize, you can contact these companies directly. Now, if you know of an association but the Chamber of Commerce does not have any information on them, use your phone book or visit their website to discover contact names and phone numbers.
Don’t be afraid to call the association and ask them if they know if any of their members have job openings. Don’t forget to ask them if they have monthly meetings and could you submit your resume to them for that meeting? Or call the members individually. I prefer you call either the association or businesses directly rather than email them because you can usually get much more detailed information as you chat with the person on the phone. They also might know of additional resources for you to look into for your job hunt.
Libraries – In our county, we have at least five branches within our library system and some of these branches have areas inside for you to post or file your business card or brochure. The downtown branch has a bulletin board to place your business card or flyer for all to see. The branch closer to our home has a notebook on the way to the restrooms (lots of traffic!) for people to look through as well as advertise their services. Drop off your business card and read through to see if there are any businesses that may be able to use someone with your expertise.
9) Universities and Colleges – Check your local universities or colleges! While there have been major funding cuts in numerous cities within the education industry, you never know when someone is moving, retiring or being promoted thus creating an opening, so it’s worth a shot to make a phone call or visit their Employment Departments.
Don’t forget to visit any bulletin boards on campus within key departments (Science, Art, Mathematics, Communications, etc.) to see if there are any openings posted. If so, contact the head of the department before filling out that online application form for the institution. Contacts are everything, especially within a university setting and if you get to know the person you’d be working for BEFOREHAND, there is a much better chance of getting that job! It’s all about who you know. 
10) Yourself - Yes, you read it correctly…yourself! Take a look within yourself and what things you enjoy, then ask yourself, “What service or product would I pay for, right now?” Would you pay for someone to water your plants on a weekly basis to keep them healthy? Contact local businesses and offer your services for that – MANY banks and offices utilize these services to keep their foyers and office spaces looking healthy and vibrant. It says they care about their business and want to welcome you as a customer.
Would you pay to have someone run to the grocery store every week, saving valuable time and effort? Whether someone is too busy to do their shopping or can no longer drive, this is a service that is needed. Would you pay to have someone cook a good homemade meal a few times a week rather than eat out? Would you pay someone to walk your dog two or three times a day on a regular basis so you don’t have to rush home and rush back to work each day?
If there is a hobby that you LOVE and are quite knowledgeable about it…could someone benefit from your insights? Consider teaching a cooking/baking class once a week (whether in your home or at a customer’s home). Consider sharing your love and expertise for a hobby…for a fee!
Now, do I have your brain cells churning yet? I hope so! Think offline, think tangible…think who you know, think who you like…think what you like or love to do and start from there. You deserve a brighter future so take one of these suggestions, just one, and fully explore it today! And please, let me know your results! 
Lisa
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