“Elitism – It’s lonely at the top. But it’s comforting to look down upon everyone at the bottom.” – Larry Kersten

Most of us start out our careers with one goal in mind – working our way to the top. Now we all know that there is only room for one and, should you make it to the top, it can be very lonely. For one, once you’ve reached the top there is only one way to go. On the other hand, there is nothing like calling all of the shots. Of course, the vast majority of us will never make it, but you will never know if you don’t try. Speaking of the top, Fortune’s new list for the Best Companies is out and we get to start from the bottom of the list. Why the bottom you say? To work our way to the top of course.

• Colgate-Palmolive – On the list at #100, Colgate is known best for toothpaste but they make tons of products that most of us have heard of. Colgate is a true global company, and just about anywhere you live, they are likely to have a location in your company. Their careers page is very well done. Top of the page has tabs for Job Search, Careers, Student Opportunities and more. Center page provides background on “why Colgate” as well as links to the same topics included in the tabs at the top. Click Job Search to get started and either create your profile or simply click “Begin your Search”.

• Winchester Hospital – Not on the list last year, this community hospital is ranked at 99. They have a basic careers page, with Job Search, opportunities for Physicians and how to apply. Center page has similar links with a brief overview. Clicking on job search revealed 65 job opportunities.

• Intel -Ranked 98 on this year’s list, is know for computer chips. Their careers page is well put together. The left hand side of the page is filled with relevant links (like Job Search, Intern/Grad Opportunities, a Jobs Blog and so much more). The center of the page starts with a brief overview, followed by a quick Jobs Search box (below which are links for advanced search and recent grad/student searches). Bottom center page has a few targeted searches. The right hand side of the page has an enhanced applicant tool with an additional job search link. There were 1,396 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Herman Miller -Office furniture is what Herman Miller is best know for. Ranked 97 on the list, Herman Miller has over 5,100 employees in the US. Their main careers page has a Why Work Here section in middle of the page with additional informational links on the left). There is a “How to Apply” link on the top left or the bottom right side of the page, click this link to bring up the meat of their careers section with “Search Jobs Now” and “Create Your Profile” (if you want to post your resume) links center page. There were 22 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• LifeBridge Health – Over 6,300 employees and ranked 96 on the list with 262 jobs created last year. Center page of their careers site provides an overview with a “Click here to Search Jobs” located at the top right hand side of the page. There were 270 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Good luck in your search.

“I can’t complain but sometimes I still do.  Life’s been good to me so far” – Joe Walsh

It’s human nature to complain. Some people are really good at always seeing the positive side of things while others are always thinking that every silver lining has a cloud. Most of us fall smack in the middle. So when was the last time you complained about the company you work for? Would your view of your company change if you were out of work (and a job was available at your company)? We all do it (complain about our companies that is). So what would you change at your company to make it a great place to work? That is a little bit about why the “best companies to work for” are on the list (and many of them show up on the list year after year). So the next time you have something negative to say about your company, think about what would make it better and put it in the suggestion box.

• Container Store – Number 36 on the list, the Container Store has been on the Best list for 11 years in a row and while they decreased staff by 9% last year, they are hiring again this year. Their main careers page is mostly a company overview with a number of informational links on the right-hand side (Navigate Your Career) and a link to their Career Center is at the bottom of this list. From the Career Center, you can register, view current job openings, post your resume and keep track of your job submissions. Select “View Positions” to link to search page which is divided by job type (Stores, Distribution Center, Home Office and Customer Solutions).  There were lots of new jobs when I checked the site.

• Aflac – Ranked 37 and also in their 11th year on the list (down from 26), I’m sure the first thing you think of is the duck from the commercial (and if you haven’t seen it I don’t know where you’ve been hiding).  This insurer is based in Georgia and has almost 4,400 employees (down from last year). Their career site has a series of career related links on the left hand side of the page with “Search for Job Opportunities” and “College Recruiting center page. From  “Search for Job Opportunities” you can create a profile, save searches, manage your job submissions, register and, of course, search jobs.

• Scooter Store – Not on the list last year, Scooter is ranked 38 on this year’s list. According to their website, Scooter is “America’s leading supplier of scooters and power chairs for people with limited mobility”. Their careers page is well done, with links at the top of the page for related sites followed by an excellent overview of the company. A careers overview is center page, and you can click on Search Jobs from the top of the page or on the left hand side of the page. You can join the careers site or just search for jobs. There were approximately 60 job opportunities when I checked the page.

• TDIndustries – Ranked 39, this company is a construction company and is based in Dallas, Texas. Jobs increased by 7% last year and now stands slightly below 1,600 employees. Their careers page improved quite a bit from last year and has an excellent overview center page. There are links on the left hand side of the page for related topics. Click on “Job Openings” from the left hand side of the page to link to the job search page (last year there was no search function. There were 17 job openings as of mid-January.

• Scripps Health – Up from Number 59 on last year’s list, Scripps has over 11,000 employees and hired over 1,300 people last year (amazing). Their career site offers information on the company as well as specific information on a number of health care related fields. There are related links on the left hand side of the page as well as “Hot Careers” center page. Click search jobs to link to the log on page, where you can register and post your resume. The bottom left hand side of the page has a “search openings” link. There were over 302 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Good luck in your search.
Reposted from CareerAlley

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“Whoever said money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping.” – Bo Derek

One of the first part-time jobs I had when I was in college was in Retail. Granted, it was working as a cashier in a (now bankrupt) department store. It’s where I got my first taste of “working with the public” and I can tell you, there were as many rewarding experiences as there were lousy experiences. Retail is an interesting occupation, you get to learn a lot about a wide range of products, you get to work with people and there are many different roles you can play. Probably more than most industries, Retail is generally hard hit when times are bad and it also a large percentage of part-time or seasonal workers. Even though times are still tough, there are still an amazing number of jobs in Retail. Today’s post provides a few resources for those looking for retail careers.

Retail Chains:

• Macy’s – A national retailer with over 800 stores and over 161,000 employees, Macy’s is one of the best known retailers in the US. Their careers page has a company overview center right with embedded links to their jobs page and college recruiting site. If you follow the jobs page link, you are led to their job search page. The top of this page has links for benefits, about Macy’s and apply. Below this is a general job search box where you can search by job function or state. There were 4,251 job opportunities when I checked the page.

• Lowe’s – A specialty retailer, Lowe’s is a “do it yourself” retailer similar to Home Depot. As with many retailers, there are a number of career choices when looking at their Careers page. For Lowe’s, these are: Stores, Distribution or Corporate Headquarters. These categories are listed at the top middle of the page. The top of the page also has tabs, one of which is for College Recruiting. The Job Search link (a tab at the top or a box on the middle right hand side of the page) leads to a search engine which allows job search across the entire company. There is a Hot Jobs box on the right hand side of the page categorized by job function. Interestingly, you can subscribe to this section of the page via an RSS link. There is no easy way to search across the entire company, you must first select your city and state.

• Sears Holdings – Another well known retailer with a broad business model, combined with Kmart several years ago is struggling through the recession like many retail chains. Their careers page has links a the top of the page for Areas of Opportunity, College Programs, Events and Search Jobs. The center of the page has links for opportunities by type of job (Entry Level Hourly, Professional/Salaried and College/Military Programs. Clicking on Search jobs brings up two choices – Professional or Entry Level jobs and clicking either of these links provides additional job search choices.

• Kohl’s – A another retail store company, their careers page leads with “building great futures”. The page is filled with 5 boxes representing the different career options: Campus Recruiting, Corporate Headquarters, New York Office, Stores and Distribution Centers. You can check each of these career choices to see the available jobs or use the “current openings” at the top right hand side of the page. There were 336 job opportunities when I checked the page.

• Retail Recruiters – This firm is a national recruiter specializing in Retail from Department Stores to Discount Stores to Supermarkets. Their web page has two boxes of interest on the left hand side of the page: Career Opportunities or Submit Your Resume. Clicking on career opportunities provides a partial list of jobs or you can submit your resume for consideration.

Good luck in your search.

Photo courtesy of MF

“Our business in life is not to get ahead of others, but to get ahead of ourselves — to break our own records, to outstrip our yesterday by our today.” – Stewart B. Johnson

Sometimes I’m tempted to write a blog about the worst companies to work for, although I’m not really sure what value it will have other than making life even more miserable for the people that work at these companies (like they need another source to confirm what they already know). So, I thought that for today I would stick with the next round of the best companies to work for (which I have, mostly), but I could not help myself completely (therefore, the last link). BTW, there were over 630 job opportunities across today’s companies.

• PCL Construction Enterprises – PCL is a general contractor and lost 448 jobs last year. Based in Denver Colorado, PCL is ranked 31 on this year’s list (down from 28) and also on several “top” lists from Canada. Their career site has a company overview as well as links to a wide range of resources – Career Path Descriptions,  Foreign Recruitment and more. You can search all opportunities or search by location (a list of locations has hot links). Doing a basic search returned 140 job opportunities. You can register your profile, upload your resume and save defined searches.

• Baptist Health South Florida – Ranked 32 (up from 79 last year), Baptist has over 11,7600 jobs and added 968 jobs last year. The careers page is focused on the right hand side of the page with a button center page for Job Search New Candidates. Links on the left hand side of the page provides additional company information. Clicking on New Candidates opens the job search page any of these leads to a listing of the job openings for that type. There were  192 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Shared Technologies – Shared Technologies, ranked 33 (down from 18), installs and supports telecommunications equipment. They have over 1,200 employees and lost 321 jobs last year. Their career site provides a company overview, followed by links for Search and Apply for Jobs, Benefits and “Application Process through the eyes of the Applicant” (an interesting page). Click Search and Apply to open the job search page. There were 14 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Chesapeake Energy – This energy company is ranked 34 (up significantly from 74 last year). Their headquarters are in Oklahoma City and they have over 7,700 employees and added 1,277 jobs last year (20% growth in a difficult economy). Their career site has links on the left hand side for “Why work for us”, Campus Recruiting, Job Opportunities and more. The center of the page is filled with the job search engine. A generic search returned 271 job opportunities. As with the other sites, you can register on the site and post your resume.

• American Fidelity Assurance Co – Ranked 35 (up from 46 on last year’s list), American Fidelity has 1,500 employees and lost 8 jobs last year. American Fidelity Assurance Company is one of the largest privately owned life insurance companies in the United States. An interesting Careers site. The right hand side of the page leads with “WORK DOESN’T HAVE TO BE BORING” and has a brief overview. There are colleague testimonials and additional information on the company. Click “Apply Now” and a screen pops up to prompt you for your information. You can bypass this by clicking on “send me to job openings”.  There were over 17 job opportunities when I checked the site.

And now for the Worst:

• Worst Companies To Work For: Glassdoor.com’s List – Posted on the Huffingtonpost.com’s site, the results are based on questions asked of employees (a reasonable approach). As the article points out, it is hard to say if they companies are truly bad, if it is the impact of the economy or if the employees are just bitter. Anyway, an interesting read (whether you work there or not)

Good luck in your search.

“Those who wish to sing, always find a song.” – Swedish proverb

Are you happy in your job? Happiness is a state of mind and, according to merriam-webster.com, happiness is defined as “a state of well-being and contentment”. So what does “happy” look like (no reference meant to the Disney Dwarf named Happy)? Well it looks like a lot of things. Some work related definitions are: you really like going to work each day, you really like your job, you really like your company, etc. Now all of these need not be present at the same time to be happy, but the more the happier. Much of what defines the best companies to work for has to do with, what I will call, the “happiness factor”. These could be benefits, the way employees are treated, what the company stands for, etc. For each of the companies covered in this post, you can find the criteria that defined them as “Best Companies” at the following link ==>> Best / Worst.

• CHG Healthcare Services - Number 26 on the listk CHG has over 1,140 employees and lost 147 jobs last year. They are, of course, a healthcare company. Their careers page shows their family of companies center page with links at the top for List of All Openings, Search Openings and Submit My Resume. There were 31 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Scottrade – Scottrade is a discount broker and 27 on the list (up from 60). They have over 2,400 employees and hired 436 people last year. Their main career site has tabs at the top with Search Jobs, Working @ Scottrade and a tab for Internships. In the center of the page they have a big Search Jobs button. Select Search Jobs to review links to Job Openings by category, manage your resume, create a job agent and look at all job openings. There were 144 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• JM Family Enterprises – An automotive company and 28th on the list, JM has over 3,800 employees and lost 795 jobs last year. Their careers page provides a brief overview of the company with links to their companies, their work/life program, benefits and current job openings. There were 37 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Quicken Loans – Quicken was number 29 last year and 29 again this year. They have 2,893 employees in the US and 4 jobs last year. Their careers page has a company overview, with links at the top of the page for Company Openings, information on benefits, College Recruiting and more. They have additional decision points for your search – Experienced Hire, Recent College Grad and Service or Retail. You can add a profile and submit a resume. There were 38 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Alston & Bird - This company is ranked 30 on Fortune’s “Best Companies to work for” and have over 1,840 employees. They added 121 job this year. They are a law firm with locations in several different cities. Their career page is divided by sections: Lawyers, Law Students,  Foreign Internships, Paralegals and professional staff.  You can search for jobs and add a profile.

Good luck in your search.

“Do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” – William Faulkner

How do you get to the top? I mean really the top, like an Astronaut, CEO or CFO or Chief Anything? Most of us start our careers, fresh out of school, and our dream is to be the best at what we do (or will do). Inventing something, or leading a company or leaving something behind that becomes your legacy. At the end of the day, few people truly get to “the top” (strictly defined). But you know what, that’s okay, because if you are at the top of your department or great at what you do, then who really cares if you are happy? And many people do not want to be at the top. Too much pressure, too much sacrifice and once you get there there is only one place to go (and it ain’t the top). I think the best way to look at it is exactly like today’s quote – just try to better yourself. And that’s what looking for a job is all about, trying to better yourself. Whether that means going from unemployed to employed or getting that “next level up” job you’ve always wanted. The companies in the Fortune 1000 offer a great opportunity to improve on your situation, and many of them are hiring – there were over 1,800 job opportunities across all of today’s companies..

• Dun & Bradstreet – 995 on the list, D&B (as it also known), has one of the simplest career pages I’ve seen (especially for a Fortune 1000 company). Head to their careers page and the first thing you see (in fact, it’s just about the only thing you see) is their job search page.  You can enter your country at the top of the page as well as register to add your resume and create your job cart. The left hand side of the screen has a few links for Work @ D&B, Benefits, Culture and Job Categories. There were 63 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• BMC Software – A the leader in Business Service Management software, BMC is ranked 994 on the list. Their careers page is crisp and simple with an overview center page followed by a few links: Search for a new job now, Worldwide offices and learn more. On the left hand side of the screen are additional related links including search jobs. There were 426 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• OM Group – Ranked at 992 on the list (yes, we skipped one that is in bankruptcy). According to their website, OM Group “is a leading global solutions provider of specialty chemicals, advanced materials and unique technologies crucial to enabling our customers to meet increasingly stringent market and application requirements.”. Their careers page has a brief overview center page with an embedded “open positions” link, with links on the right hand side of the page to learn more about their businesses. On the left hand side of the page are company links plus a link for career opportunities . There were 10 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Bob Evans Farms – Ranked at 991 on the list, they own and operate over 700 restaurants and have a line of retail foods. Their careers page offers an overview of why you would want to work there with links at the bottom of the page for hourly opportunities, management opportunities and corporate opportunities. The left hand side of the page has links on the company philosophy as well as the same links from the bottom of the page. There were 37 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Sunrise Senior Living – As you might have guessed, this company specializes in senior living and is ranked 990 on the list. Their careers page has an overview center page, along with describing Sunrise careers. There is a large “Sunrise Careers” button center page followed by a listing of benefits. Clicking on the Sunrise Careers button takes you to their search engine. There were 1,283 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Good luck in your search.

“Graduation is a tough day for parents. They go to the ceremony as parents. They go home as contemporaries. After twenty-two years, they are unemployed.” – Erma Bombeck

The real world. You’ve spent 16 years of your 22 years in school (depending on pre-school, pre-pre-school and if you were on the 4 year or 4+ year college program). Learning is a great thing, but it does not prepare you for the real world. “What?” you say, “I’ve wasted all of that time?”. Not wasted. Knowledge is a great thing, now you have to learn how to use it.  You may have had some training or courses on job search and career development when you were in college, and it may have even prepared you with everything you need to find your first “real” job. But the good news is that just in case it fell short of what you need this post is the first in a series of posts to revisit resources for College Grads on the job hunt.

Companies with College Grad Career Pages:

• Hess Corporation – You probably already know what Hess does (Energy). Their University Graduates page is very well done. Left hand side of the page has recruiting events (check the calendar) followed by company information stuff. Also on the left hand side are a number of search links based on job type. Center page is a bullet point list of all the reasons why you would want to work for them. If you can’t match up with their college recruiting calendar, you should still add your resume to their site and take a look at their job openings.

• Symantec Corporation – Innovative technology is the name of the game at Symantec. Their College Connections page has a ton of information for college grads. Left hand side of the page has links for Internship Programs, New College Grads, Campus Calendar and more. Center page has an overview of some of the programs that might interest you. Right hand side of the page has links to job listings as well as “meet the management team”

• Internal Revenue Service – The IRS has a great College Student / Recent Grad page as part of their Careers section. There are tabs at the top for About IRS, Working at IRS and Opportunities. Center page provides an overview with a Search & Apply box. There is a short video on the right hand side of the screen (Meet Our Employees). Below this are a broad range of resources, including “Fun Career Tools”. There were 72 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• General Electric – GE is involved in way too many businesses to list here. There are over 300,000 people in over 100 locations (according to the website) and they are world-renowned for their management training programs . Their “University Students” page has links on the left hand side for Job Search, Careers, Why GE and more. Center page are links to their Undergraduate Leadership Programs, Internship and Co-ops programs and much more. To the right of this there is a link for “Start Your Job Search”. – there were 4,291 jobs opportunities when I checked the site.

• Disney Professional Internships – So we all know what Disney does, and they have a broad range of programs for High School and College Grads. Their Internships are well known and respected. Their students page has a Disney company overview followed by a listing of internship fields. Click the “Apply Now” button on the left hand side of the page to submit your details.

• The Hartford – The Hartford is known for both financial products and insurance. They employ over 31,000 employees and are in the Fortune 100. The College page of the Careers section provides a comprehensive list of links. Center page, there is a brief overview, followed by links for Full-Time Programs, Internships, Campus Recruiting and more. The left hand side of the page has similar links, plus additional links for other career related topics. Clicking on “View Opportunities for College Students” yields 13 College Student job opportunities plus 251 other job opportunities.

• Intel – Intel is know for computer chips and their college careers page is well done. The left hand side of the page is filled with relevant links (like Job Search, Intern/Grad Opportunities, a Jobs Blog and so much more). The center of the page starts “Get Started with Your Future” and has a listing of student centers by country. The left hand side of the page has a number of additional job search link. There were 480 job opportunities when I checked the page.

Job Search Marketing Toolkit Stuff You Need:

Resumes:

• Powerful New Grad Resumes and Cover Letters: 10 Things They Have in Common – A great article with lots of resources advice and links provided by Quintcareers,  the ten tips offer advice on targeting your market and leveraging your college career experience. The page has additional related links on the left hand side of the page as well as some additional links at the bottom of the page.

• Student & New Graduate Resume Answers – This article, from 1st-writer.com, offers examples, how to make your resume look good (even though you don’t have experience, what to include and so much more. On top of this, there are a bunch of related links for your use.

• Entry Level Resumes – The first and most important thing you will need is a resume. Take your time with this as your ability to “get your foot in the door” is heavily dependent on the content and “look and feel” of your resume. There are so many choices these days. This resource, from Collegegrad.com, provides a list of links to help you get started (or to improve on what you already have).

Cover Letters:

• Cover Letter Checklist for College Grads – From collegegrad.com, provides a short list for ensuring you’ve got it covered

• Covering Letters for students – A very good article to help you understand the objectives, what to consider, and explanations of the various types of cover letters.

Thank You Letters:

• Ten tips to make your thank you note stellar – This article, by USA Today, provides some great tips for you. These are all important points and, believe me, hiring managers are reading these letters to see if you “got the point”, were listening and if you really want the job.

• In Job Searching: thank you letters – About.com comes through again with a number of sample thank you letters. But take a look, there are more than what is showing on the first page, there are additional pages (just click “next” at the bottom of the page).

• How To Write an Interview Thank You Letter – Can’t have a “how to” without howtodothings.com. The post starts off with a very good overview, followed by four steps (with great commentary) and then a sample letter. At the bottom of the page are additional related links which you will find useful.

Lots of links, so get to work until next week.

Good luck in your search.

For those of you who have followed by blog from “the early days”, you will know that I work for a Wall Street firm. Two years ago, the answer to my blog title would have been “no one”. But today, there are more jobs on Wall Street than they can fill (“not true” you say?). Some of the headhunters I use to fill my open positions have been begging me for names of potential candidates for all of the jobs they have. How can this be? There are two things driving this trend. First, all of the Wall Street firms made very deep cuts in their headcount (more than they could afford if they wanted to get the work done). Second, just about every firm on Wall Street has recovered. The combination has created one of the most dramatic turnaround in supply and demand in recent memory. Today’s post provides leads to “Who’s Hiring on Wall Street”, were there are over 13,000 career opportunities across the companies and sites listed below.

• Goldman Sachs – Goldman is much in the news, and they do have jobs and back to earning large profits. Their main career page is pretty impressive. Several tabs at the top for Careers, the Firm, Begin and Search, click Begin to (you guessed it) begin. More tabs on this page, with Key Dates, Unique Positions, Apply Now, Recruiting Events and Summer Intern Toolkit, plan to spend a fair amount of time surfing this site. While you can’t search for a list of jobs on Goldman’s site, you can use this link for Indeed.com – Goldman Sachs Jobs.

• Morgan Stanley – Another big firm on Wall Street, their careers page has tabs at the top for Why Morgan Stanley, University Programs, Search & Apply and more. Center page includes links for background on the company while the right hand side of the page has two links for job search. Bottom right hand side of the page includes a link for featured opportunities. Clicking on the “Search All Jobs” link at the bottom of the page leads to a full page where jobs must be searched by division where there were 1,890 career opportunities when I checked the site.

• JP Morgan Chase – Another well known financial institution, their career site provides an overview of the company and then has links for Experienced Hires and University Programs.  There is a link for “Jobs in Demand” as well as a “Search Jobs” tab.  As with the other sites, it is worthwhile to register. There were over 6,965 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Bank of America – Bank of America, which now owns Merrill Lynch following the financial crisis, is another one of those “Banks on Wall Street” (like JP Morgan Chase). Their careers center leads with an company overview, followed by selecting your country so that you can begin your job search. The left hand side of the screen has links for Job Search, Job Areas, Lines of Business, Campus Recruiting and more. There were over 4,000 job opportunities in the US when I checked the site.

• JobsOnWallStreet.com – What better place to look for jobs on Wall Street than a search engine with that name. There is a Candidates section on the right hand side of the screen, where you can post your resume or click Find a Job. Above this are additional links, including a Financial Recruiters directory (not yet populated) and a Job Openings link. There were over 1,200 job opportunities with a Wall Street description when I checked the site.

Good luck in your search.

“Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit”. – Frank Borman

In the “early days” (after the invention of electricity but before Personal Computers),  there were all of these “perks” that were available to those lucky enough to find the right employer. I remember one of my early jobs working on the trading floor of a (then) major financial institution in NY (don’t worry, they didn’t actually let me do any trading) when I learned that there was free breakfast, lunch and snacks for the Traders and everyone working on the trading floor. I thought this was the best thing in the world, how neat was that? Being young, green and naive, what else would you expect? But what is “best” to some is not to others and that is what makes the “best companies” list so interesting. What is the one thing your employer could provide that would make you happy in your job? Is it the ability to telecommute or Gym discounts?  Not sure? You can use the “Perk Finder” on Fortune’s website to narrow down your best company (or maybe you already know the answer).

• NuStar Energy – 21 on the list (up from 44 last year), NuStar is a pipeline operator and refinery (a spin-off of Valero). The career site has some information on the company center page and a link to job openings. From the job openings page, you must click again to get to the real job openings page. You can browse current openings and post your resume to the site. There were 21 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Johnson Financial Group – Based in Wisconsin, this company is a financial services firm with 63 locations. and is ranked 22 on the list (up from 25 last year). Their careers page has a brief summary overview and you must click on Enter Site to get to the main careers page. Once there, click on Search and Apply to create a job search agent and register on the site. You can view all jobs or select based on criteria. There were 15 job opportunities posted when I did a simple search.

• Umpqua Bank – Number 23 on this year’s list, Umpqua is a financial services firm (if you’ve not already guessed). Their main careers page has company information in the center of the page with links to Culture, Perks and Current Openings. Their opportunities page allows registration with resume posting as well as a job search function. Click Search Career Opportunities to use their job search engine. When I checked there were 129 job opportunities across a few states, from junior jobs to senior jobs. Clicking on a job displays the job description and a “submit your application” link.

• Goldman Sachs Group – Ranked 24 on this year’s list, Goldman is much in the news and back to earning large profits. Their main career page is pretty impressive. Several tabs at the top for Careers, the Firm, Begin and Search, click Begin to (you guessed it) begin. More tabs on this page, with Key Dates, Unique Positions, Apply Now, Recruiting Events and Summer Intern Toolkit, plan to spend a fair amount of time surfing this site.

• Novo Nordisk – A Danish diabetes-treatment company with over 26,000 employees globally and ranked 25 on the list. Their main career page offers information on the company (center page) and a number of job search resources, including Career Paths, Culture, Opportunities and Search Jobs on the left hand side of the page. Click on Search Jobs to link to the page where you can search for job openings, log on or add your profile (and upload your resume). You can also paste your resume and have the search function check for opportunities against your resume. There were 59 opportunities when I checked.

Good luck in your search.

“I lost my heart On the carousel . . .” – Michael Jackson from the song Carousel

Remember ridding the carousel as a kid? The horses that would go up and down and the horses that just went no where? What about the embarrassing “bench” that not only didn’t move but was on the inside near the gears (did your parents make you sit on the bench when you were too little to ride the horse)? And then, of course, there was the Brass Ring (or most often, the Iron Ring). But on the horse, it was all about reaching as far as you could without falling off, timing it just right so you could grab the ring. And then, every so often you would grab the ring look in your hand and it was the Brass Ring and a free ride!

Job search is much like reaching for the Brass Ring. Just getting a job at all is sometimes a challenge, but there is nothing like getting the “Brass Ring” of  jobs. Today’s post continues Fortune’s “Best Companies to Work for” series and reaching for your Brass Ring.

• Cisco – 16 on the list (down from 6 last year), Cisco is the leading supplier of network equipment. You can view a short video from their careers page. The left hand side of the page has links for Featured Jobs, Graduate and Intern Career Programs and more. There are related links on the right hand side of the page including Career Training and Cisco Jobs. Once you click search for jobs you can use the search function to find your job. The site uses your posted resume to help find a good job match. There were 2,623 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Methodist Hospital System – Methodist is number 17 on the list (down from 8 last year) and is based in Houston, Texas. Their career page leads with Job Search (center page) followed by  a Company Overview. The left hand side of the page has links for Areas of Talent, Graduates and Students and more. The Job Postings page has a link to a Career Center where you post your resume and manage your job search. Click Search Jobs to link to the results with additional filters on the right hand side to help narrow your search. There were 388 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Whole Foods Market – Based in Texas, Whole Foods is number 18 on the list (up from 22 last year). This organic food store chain has over 275 stores. Their career site has links on the left hand side for Benefits, info on Job Fairs and info on the Hiring Process. There is plenty of information on the company center page including information on how to apply and a search jobs function at the center top. Begin your job search by selecting the state where you want to work. It’s not clear if there is a way to search for all jobs across all locations..

• Genentech – Number 19 (down from 7) on Fortune’s list, Genentech is a Biotech company. Their career site also has a lot of information on the company. In addition to search jobs on the right hand side of the page, they have links to their national career conferences as well as their campus recruiting. From their job posting page, you can create an account, add a resume, search for jobs and manage your job search at Genentech. There were 100 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Devon Energy – Devon is a oil and gas exploration company and is ranked 20 on the list. A company fact sheet is available from the main page. Their career page is mostly filled with background on the list (they are also included on Canada’s “Best Places to Work” list). There are links to company background and compensation & benefits on the left hand side of the page. There is a “Work Here/Apply” link which leads to another page that allows a click to opportunities. A quick search returned 66 job opportunities. There were 30 job opportunities when I checked the site.

Good luck in your search.