Free Job Search Resources

By Melanie Szlucha

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy 

Why are some people so resistant to getting help? Why do we think that we are experts in everything? Financial planners are experts at figuring out where their clients should invest, there are people who specialize in organizing homes, and even travel agents who have a wealth of knowledge available to help you plan your next vacation. Yet many of us still feel capable of going it alone. Either because we think it's too expensive to hire a coach, or we don't think there's anything they could tell us that we don't already know.

Same holds true in my line of work. The most unfortunate are the people who know they need help, but it's impossible for them to afford it. I get many requests for free job search and resume resources, so I thought I'd include them here. Are they as good as one-on-one coaching? I'm sure that it varies by program and the number of people who participate but if you're stuck as to even how to start a resume or your job search, these are great places to start.

College Career Centers. These offices are an incredible wealth of information. If you're currently in college, or even an alum, don't hesitate to contact them to investigate what services they offer. Many have access to sophisticated assessment tests that can help you decide what jobs you're best suited to based on your experience, interests and personality. They will help you research and identify some target companies for your job search, or even find other places to search for a job. Want to get into a very specific field, or have a challenging career-related situation that you need advice on? These are the places to go. You've spent 4 years of your life and tens of thousands of dollars, this office is really where the rubber meets the road to get you to the next phase.

http://www.job-hunt.org - I found this site while doing some research this weekend. It's got a pretty extensive listing by state of free resources and job support groups. I live in CT, and saw a few on there that I did not know about. Resources will vary by state, but what I saw included everything from resume writing, job interviewing, networking and company research.

Your local library. There's two in my area who have conducted workshops on using the library in your job hunt. Librarians are a wealth of resources-because that's their job-to help you efficiently find what you're looking for. They can direct you to company databases, books on resume writing, and may be another source of free workshops you can attend. Chat one up, and I'm sure you'll be glad you did. They're there to help you.

I hope that helps. Many of these places offer services such as assessments, company information and job boards that I cannot possibly have access to. When you're ready to improve your resume or polish up those interviewing skills, shoot me an email or give me a call. We can chat on the phone for about 10 minutes (no charge), and I'm happy to offer you an assessment of how I can help you get to the next stage of your career.