4 Online Destinations That Help You Find Gigs
By Emily Guerin
1. Craigslist
PROS: Highly targeted to specific cities. Low cost to post means that smaller companies and start-ups can advertise postings there. Especially useful for freelancers.
CONS: Hard to search. A lot of scams and fake posts. Sometimes people might confuse their jobs post with their casual encounters post, which can be awkward.
2. Monster, Careerbuilder, and other large career websites
PROS: Sheer volume of openings. Ease of searching. Uploading your resume can lead to unsolicited job opportunities (yeah, right).
CONS: Easy to get lost in the shuffle. A lot of headhunter or agency listings mean one extra step between you and a real job. Publicizing your e-mail can lead to a lot of spam (but does that really surprise you?).
3. Local Newspapers
PROS: Specific to your area. In major cities, this can be the best place to start.
CONS: With low circulation rates and stiff competition from Craigslist, business might consider it more effective to advertise through other channels. Also, NEWSPAPERS ARE DEAD.
4. Cold-Calling
PROS: Gets you in touch with a real person, which can be invaluable in making you stand out.
CONS: It’s not always clear who the right person to call is. There might not be an opening. Can be hard to “sell” yourself in 30 seconds if you’re not the extroverted type. Extremely nerve-wracking.
5. LinkedIn
PROS: Um…
CONS: It’s basically Facebook for old people.