10 Sites to Help with Your Job Search

HigherEdJobs
Does working on a college or university campus sound appealing to you? Don't worry that you have to be a college professor or have four degrees to work on a campus. Colleges all have other jobs that need filled, from administrative assistants to janitors to police dispatchers and more. And, of course, there are job listings for those teaching positions. HigherEdJobs is the perfect place to find employment at a college or university anywhere in the U.S. or even internationally.

Idealist.org
Perhaps you like the idea of working or volunteering in the non-profit sector. This Web site lists all kinds of jobs from all over the U.S. Maybe you would like to work for the American Red Cross? Or how about finding a job with a smaller, lesser-known, grass-roots organization? This is the place to find those jobs, as well as some government jobs. But there's more than just job listings on this site. You can also donate to your favorite organizations, and you can join the forums to voice your opinions.

BlueCollarJobs
Doe you have a background in manufacturing? What about plumbing, machine operations or any number of blue collar jobs? This site could be for you. You'll not only find plenty of listings for blue collar work with many, many companies, but you can also use this site to read some free magazines, check on the latest employment trends, build an online portfolio and more.

BankJobs
Ever work in a bank? Or want to? Or maybe you think being a bank teller doesn't sound very exciting. That's okay, because this site has more than just bank teller positions. Listed are loan processing jobs, executive positions and even bank jobs that aren't necessarily tied directly into money, such as janitorial work or computer technology, etc. Just one more potential tool in your job hunt. And even if you don't think you would be interested in working for a bank, I suggest spending some time perusing sites such as this anyway. Why? Because you might be surprised at some of the job listings. Maybe you don't think you'd want to work for some place, in this example a bank, but you might find a job in the field that suits you perfectly. In these tough times, you've got to think outside the box.

Hospital Jobs Online
Hospitals are another place you might not think has a job for you, but hospitals employ a lot more people than just doctors and nurses. With this site you can find job postings for administration, food services, file clerks, security, public relations and a whole lot more. Hospitals offer plenty of opportunities, so don't miss out by not considering them.

grocery Hire
Grocery stores always seem to have some kind of job openings, from cashiers to department managers to store managers and other positions. This site can help you find a job in the grocery business, though this site focuses almost entirely upon the U.S. Again, remember to think out of the box. Sometimes grocery stores need help in the pharmacy, or need security folks. There's lots of potential if you keep an open mind.

Environmental Jobs and Careers
With all the talk in the media about green jobs, you'd think there would be a job site just for employment in that field. There is. This one. There are all kinds of different types of jobs here, from community relations to engineering to legal work and much, much more. Think green! And find a job.

starnow
Do you think you've got potential for Hollywood? Do you think it's time for you to live your dreams? Maybe so. And starnow can help. This site lists plenty of casting calls for actors, as well as other positions within the film and TV industries. Think about being a stage hand. Or maybe you're a dancer or musician. Reality TV sound like your thing? Check out this site.

Everytruckjob.com
Whether you're an independent driver with your own rig or you're an experienced drive currently without a job, this site can help to line up your next gig, or possibly even regular, full-time work. Tons of companies are listed here, companies who need drivers to take to the roads to deliver goods. Most job listings are for the U.S., but there are also listings for Canada, Puerto Rico and a few other places.

Hcareers
This is basically a job site for hospitality careers. And what kind of careers are those? Hotels, restaurants, bed and breakfasts, resorts, cruise ships, etc. Many jobs are going to be hourly, but there are also plenty of listings for management positions, if that should interest you. Lots of variety here, so don't be afraid to look around some at all the different possibilities.

10 Job Sites for Writers

JournalismJobs.com
As a former newspaper professional, I've been using this Web site for years. Of course newspaper jobs are quite scarce nowadays what with new technology and the depressing economy, but JournalismJobs.com isn't only for newspaper jobs. You can also find jobs for online media, non-profits, TV, radio, and much more. Plenty of professional writing, editing and desktop publishing jobs can be found here. Most jobs listed here are in the United States, but there are sometimes listing for other countries.

The Write Jobs
This site tends to focus on media publishing employment, but it also has links to technical and medical writing jobs. This site also has links to other resources for writers, including advice from professionals. The Write Jobs is part of a network that also includes The Write News, a news site about writing, and Writers Write, a "one-stop resource about books, writing and publishing," according to the Web site.

Online Writing Jobs
Online Writing Jobshas thousands of jobs to search through, mostly for the freelance writer. Here you can find everything from ghostwriting gigs, to book writing, editing, copywriting, blogging, journalism and loads more. A number of the search links will take you to craigslist postings, but that's okay since you're getting a one-stop site for searching those craigslist writing jobs.

BloggerJobs.biz
Want to get paid to blog? If so, this place can help you along your path. Not only are blogging jobs listed, but there are also advertising jobs, design jobs, and others to search from. You can even list yourself under the "Bloggers for Hire" section, or just catch up on some of the latest news concerning professional bloggers.

Media Bistro
As the new infers, this site has a little bit of everything for the writer, including jobs searches. Catch up on the latest media news, find out about conferences, connect with other professionals, or, of course, do a job search. You'll find plenty of journalism jobs listed here, but also jobs at universities, advertising agencies and other places. Really, Media Bistro has so much to offer, it's more than just an employment search engine.

Folio
Folio is a magazine for, well, it's for the magazine industry. If you want to find employment at a magazine, this is a good place to start. But there's also plenty of other interesting things on this site, such as magazine industry news, events, Webinars, and so much more I could keep going on for a long time. Your best bet is to check out this place.

Bookjobs.com
Maybe you are looking for work in the book publishing industry. This is the site for that. Most of the job listings are for the United States, but you will find some for India, Britain and other countries. Spend some time looking over these job listings, because it can open your eyes to all the different possibilities for employment within the book publishing world.

MediaUK
Speaking of the world, here's a site for those not in the U.S. This is a media news site for those in Great Britain. Plenty of newspaper jobs are listed here, but you can also search employment for radio, TV and magazines. You can also read articles, or join a discussion to voice your opinion or just to have a nice chat.

PublishingJobs.Org
This site is sort of a search engine for publishing jobs. You can use the search tool to find jobs listed in local media from all kinds of cities. I've had hit-and-miss success with using this site, but I'm not overly familiar with it, yet. One good thing about this site is it doesn't stick with just part of the publishing industry, but includes book publishers, online, newspapers and more.

The Freelance Writing Jobs Network
Another place on the Web that's more than just a place for looking for work. Of course you can look for jobs here, mostly freelance writing gigs, though there are some regular, full-time jobs. But there's so much more to do here, too. Catch up on writing news. Be a little social and leave some comments. Read some helpful articles. All this to enjoy in one place on the Internet.

Need a Job? These 10 Basic Sites Can Help Your Search

Monster
This is one of the oldest Web sites for job searches. Monster allows you to look anywhere in the world for a job, though it's probably best known for its job hunting abilities in the United States. You can use the site only for basic job searches, or you can sign up with Monster and post your resume, post a cover letter, seek resume-writing help and more. One great thing is signing up with Monster won't cost you anything.

Yahoo! hotjobs
If you already use Yahoo! for e-mail or other services, why not check out their offerings for your job hunt? Of course you can do the basic search, but you can also upload a resume, use a salary calculator, network with other professionals and perform tons and tons of other tasks that can help you find that next employer.

Careerbuilder
This site lets you look for jobs, post resumes, seek advice, etc. Sounds pretty familiar by now, right? Well, this site also has the added benefit of being linked with plenty of newspapers in the U.S., which means those jobs listed in many newspaper classified sections are also making it to Careerbuilder.

USAJobs
This is the official job hunting site for federal government jobs in the United States. This site not only lets you look for those government positions, but it also can provide information on the seeming mysteries of the federal hiring process, which obviously will be different depending upon which branch or department of government you're applying to work for.

Indeed
Indeed is one of my favorite job search engines. Why? Because it is a one-stop search engine for many, many other jobs sites. In fact, several other of the other job sites on this list can all be searched together on Indeed. This particular site even scours some college and corporate sites for open position. But remember, never put all your trust into one job-hunting site online. Why? Read on.

Simply Hired
This site is much like Indeed. It allows you to search multiple other job sites all at the same time. What's interesting here is that I've done the exact same searches, multiple times and different dates, on both Indeed and Simply Hired and the results of the two sites do not match exactly. What this means is each site misses some jobs. And it means each site will have some listings the other one won't. So, to repeat, use more than one site for your employment search.

Jobs.net
Another basic job hunting site. Perhaps, but you need to know about as many sites as possible. I like this site because it is one of the easier ones to use, in my opinion. Even the main page has a map of the United States, and you can click on each individual state to look for jobs there. What's easier than that?

Craigslist
Craiglistis a lot like the old-fashioned classified advertisements in your hometown newspaper. You go to the site and there are all kinds of classified listings, everything from yard sales to personals to housing and more. Including jobs. Yep, there are jobs listed on Craigslist, full-time jobs and part-time jobs and temporary gigs and everything between. If you don't like any of your local listings, and are willing to move, you can also check out the listings in other cities and states and even other parts of the world. Just be careful. There are lots of scammers out there, and sometimes they lurk on job hunting sites.

Eurojobs
Maybe you're not in the United States, or you are but want a job elsewhere. That's where Eurojobs can be of aid. This Web site purports to be "the only multi-country site for jobs in Europe." So use it to find those jobs in France, Germany, Britain, Spain and elsewhere. You can do your basic search, or you can join the site for other benefits.

Snagajob
Maybe you need a job, but you are tired of wading through listings of executive jobs and nursing jobs an doctor's jobs, etc. You get the picture. You just need a job, you don't need to be the boss or to run a hospital. Snagajob might be the place for you. This is a place where tons of normal, everyday jobs are listed for normal, everyday folk. You know, jobs that pay by the hour. You can search around the country or in your own region. Plenty of restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores and the like have jobs listed here, but you might be surprised at many other places that have jobs listed. Worth checking out.

Need a Job? Try Grocery Shopping for Others

In these times of a tough economy, many people are losing their jobs. Most often, they start looking for a new job, but that can take time. One way to bring in a little money, or to supplement your income, is to perform a grocery shopping service for other people.

How to get started on a shoestring budget
If you can't afford to spend a bunch of money on advertising, and most of us can't, there are some other ways to get out the word about your grocery shopping business.

For one thing, if you have a printer and paper and ink, you can design some small flyers; I'd suggest at least 2 per sheet of paper, though you can do more. Then just walk around to targeted neighborhoods and hang flyers on the doors of the houses. One flyer per house, please. You're going to be doing a lot of walking for this, and you should expect immediate results; it can take a few weeks, and sometimes a few thousand of the flyers delivered, before you begin to reel in the customers. Try not to lose heart in the meantime. Also, remember to target your neighborhoods; no offense is meant, but generally, lower income neighborhoods are not going to have people who can afford someone to do their grocery shopping. You need to target the better-off neighborhoods. Also, as an example, I've found senior citizens and those with a disability are more likely to need a grocery shopper than a young couple.

Also, I'll suggest visiting many of your local grocery stores. Talk to the managers. Let them know what you're doing. Most stores will have some kind of community board where you can hang one of your flyers, but remember to ask at the front desk because many stores have some kind of rules for posting on their board. Most store managers will be happy to hear about your service because they sometimes get calls from customers wanting some to deliver groceries; if possible, leave a flyer with the manager and/or at the front desk so someone at the store will have your information to give to asking customers.

What should you have on your flyer? Keep it simple. A contact phone number and an e-mail. You don't need to get specific, so keep it short and to the point, just let potential clients know you deliver groceries. If you want to get fancy, you can find one of the free Web site builders online and create your own little grocery shopping Web page.

Don't forget you can also advertise for free at some online places, craigslist being one of the most popular.

I've found word of mouth helps greatly, too. Make sure to let friends and family know what you're doing, because some of them might even be your first clients. Also, once you become comfortable with a customer, don't forget to suggest to them to pass on your name and contact information to their acquaintances.

How does it work?

This is how I do it: A customer calls me with their shopping list or gives it to me in person, and I pick up cash from them at their home or residence. I go do their grocery shopping, making sure to hold onto their change and a receipt. I promptly bring the groceries, the change and the receipt(s) back to the customer. That simple.

But why operate in cash? For a few reasons, but mainly because of potential concerns over identity theft and credit/debit card miss-use. If a customers hands you cash and you return their change with a receipt showing what you spent, there can be little question about the customer losing money. But if you feel comfortable taking blank checks or credit card information from customers, and they feel comfortable with it, do what you will.

How much to charge?
The price you quote your clients is really up to you, of course, but keep in mind you need to make it worth your while. Is $10 enough per grocery delivery? Probably not in most cases. Remember that unless you take a bus or some other service (and even that costs money) you'll likely have to drive to the grocery store and to your client's residence or office, and that costs money. My suggestion, for most regions, would be to charge $20 for the first hour and $10 per hour after that. Most shopping jobs won't take more than an hour anyway. Of course you can charge a little less or a little more depending upon where you live, but don't be afraid to haggle with your customers a little if they seem open to it. If you offer $20 per grocery trip and a customer only wants to pay $15, think about if it's worth it to you, and whether or not this customer has the potential to become a regular client. You don't want to scare off any potential customers, but you can't go broke delivering groceries for other people.

Know your stuff
It might help if you've worked in a grocery store before. You'll be a little more familiar generally with how and where items are placed, and you might be more familiar with prices and receiving practices within stores.

It also helps to be familiar with many different stores in your region. When shopping for yourself, try out different stores. Figure out the layouts for the stores, and keep track of the sale items for each store.

The more you grocery shop for others, the easier it becomes and the faster you'll become, especially when you have regular customers for whom you shop on a regular basis. You'll become familiar with where items your client often buys are located in a store. You'll get a little faster over time. In my experience, by the third or fourth trip, you can do most clients' shopping in a half hour or less (though I suggest always charging for at least a full hour because you've got to make money at this, too).

10 Tips for Resume Writing

1. Design: You want a resume that looks modern, not something your great-grandfather tossed together back in the 18th Century. But you also don't want something that looks amateurish. Keep it simple but professional looking. Use an appropriate design. Flashy graphics on the page and color and colored paper should be killed off, unless maybe you're a graphic artist, but even then you should probably save your artsy stuff for your portfolio. A goofy-looking resume will often get tossed by a potential employer before they even properly look at it.
2. Content: What's in your resume is just as, if not more, important than its look. Write clearly and factually, and get specific about your job experience and job goals. As example, don't just write "I worked in an office for a big company;" instead write something along the lines of "I managed incoming calls and accounts receivable for the Joe Schmo firm." But don't be too boring.
3. Change your resume: Every resume you send out should be at least slightly different from the one before. Why? Because each resume you send out is going to a different person or company. Fine tune your resume so it fits whom you are sending it. Don't just find a job listing online and shuffle off that resume, at least not if you want a better chance of getting an interview and possibly the job. Study the company who will be getting your resume. Study the expectations of the job. Include related points in your resume.
4. Prioritize: You want the most important information at the top of your resume. You name, contact information. Probably after that should come employment history with job skills included. Below that can go your education. If you're right out of college and don't have a lot of experience, make sure to mention any internships or related experience near the top.
5. Use the right words: Active words. Power words. Words with energy. Remember you are selling something, yourself. Look as if you care, as if you really want this job and that you're the right person for the job. Strong words, not overly used, will give this impression.
6. Don't get personal: Your potential employers don't need to know about your spouse, kids or the dog. They don't need to know your religion or your favorite TV shows. In fact, it's probably illegal for them to inquire about such things. And they don't want to know them anyway. That stuff's for office chit chat after you get the job. Getting too personal looks needy and scare off those hiring.
7. Edit, edit, edit: In a resume, one mistake is too many. A resume with mistakes in it tells the reader the person who created the resume doesn't care enough to clean up their work. So why would a boss want to hire that person?
8. Tell the truth: If you lie about something in your resume, a former job or where you went to school, sooner or later it will likely come to light that you lied. If this happens before you can get the job, they'll dismiss you. If this happens after you get the job, you're probably fired. Sure, you want to make yourself look good on your resume, but don't stretch the truth.
9. Skip the objective: Often times a resume will begin with an objective statement or declarative sentence in an attempt to explain the goals of the resume writer. Don't do this. Your possible boss already knows your goals, to get a job. They're much more interested in their own goals, and/or the goals of their company and how you can help accomplish those.
10. Keep up with it: Even if you're not hunting for a job, it's a good idea to update your resume every so often, say once every six months. This will keep you prepared in case you suddenly are hunting for a new job, and it helps to keep your resume writing skills up to date.