“In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” – Bill Cosby

I often get asked “what’s the best job search board” or “who are the best recruiters”. There are so many resources for job search, literally, tens of thousands. And, as with everything in life, what is considered the “best” is sometimes a matter of opinion. But generally speaking, “best lists” are a good indication of where to focus your time. Today’s post focuses on some of the “Best of” lists.

Recruiters:

• Students and College Grads – List of top recruiters,email addresses and other contact information – This is an amazing list for students and college provided by Askstudent.com. This list includes companies with contacts (so these are “internal” recruiters), email addresses and links to the companies recruiting website. There is a short overview, followed by the list. There is a second list at the bottom of the page which provides additional company career site links.

• Executive Search Firms and Job Recruiters – Another list, but this one of “external recruiters”, Careeroverview.com provides a brief overview followed by a list of the top recruiters. In addition to this, there are links to additional resources directly above the list of recruiters. While you are there, you can explore some of the other resources on this site (tabs at the top of the page as well as popular career links to the left).

Job Search Boards:

• The Top 10 Other Job Web Sites for Job-Seekers – Quintcareers.com’s list of the top 10 job search boards. 10 is probably a good number to start, but you will most likely want to make a smaller list if you are to have any time to use some of the other job search resources. There are embedded links to each of the sites. Another great job search site, there are tons of resources on Quintcareers and definitely worth your time reviewing these as well.

• Top job search engines – the list – A much bigger list provided by Internetinc.com, but don’t worry, it starts with the top 10. If you feel the need to expand beyond the top 10 (or you need to search in other areas), there is an additional list for the Americas followed by a list for Europe and the Middle East. Don’t forget to take a look at the right hand side of the page for other related links.

Can’t have the best without at least what not to do:

• The 7 Bad Habits of Ineffective Job Seekers – Just not finding a job? Well maybe you have some of the bad habits on this list (posted on weddles.com). As the title indicates, there are 7 bad habits listed here. Each habit has a brief paragraph explaining what not to do. If that is not enough, go to the top of the page where you will find links to additional related links for your job search.

Good luck in your search.

“The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one.” – Oscar Wilde

While unemployment is still very high, it does seem like the job market has opened up somewhat. I’ve been getting regular calls from my recruiter friends looking for candidates for jobs. Seems like they are having a difficult time finding candidates, almost counter-intuitive. High unemployment but we can’t find people to fill jobs? I think that there are several reasons for this. Those of us who either still have a job or finally found one are not as likely to leave a “safe Haven” in this market, so that does limit some of the available pool. Part of the issue is job mismatch in that jobs for those that are looking for work do not match the skill sets of the individuals looking. But the last piece of the equation I believe is due to some individuals not being proactive in getting their information out there in the job search market. Like any successful product or service, you need to market yourself in a way that ensures people know you are looking. Now I’m not suggesting you should do an infomercial on yourself, but I do think you need to conduct a job search marketing campaign. While hundreds of recruiters is obviously too many to work with, less than 10 is way too low. Leverage today’s post to get your name out to some recruiters.

• Agra Placements – Specializing in Farm and Ranch jobs, Chemical Sales jobs and Agriculture jobs, Agra Placements’ website has three main links at the top for Careers (which allows you to search for positions that are currently posted), Applicants (which allows you to register) and Locations (where they have offices). At the bottom of the page are additional links for specific jobs (such as Farm Jobs, Sales Jobs, etc.). Additional contact information is available at the bottom of the page.

• Anderson Executive Search, Inc – Based in Atlanta, Georgia (but don’t let their location fool you, they recruit in a broad range of locations), Anderson recruits in a very broad range of industries and functional areas: Manufacturing, IT, Sales and Marketing, Environmental, Engineering, Aerospace and Defense, Human Resources, Operations, Audit and the list continues. Their main page has links on the left for Recruited Candidates (where you can submit a resume and look at job postings), Careers (which is their search engine), Industry Related articles and more. Anderson had 96 job opportunities posted when I checked the site.

• Boston Search Group – BSG is an international recruiting firm. Their main page has links at the top for Practices (industries/functional areas of expertise), Candidates and Blog. Their blog provides interesting information that may be helpful in your search. Clicking on the Candidates tab leads to a page that provides an overview of BSG with links on the left hand side of the screen for Current Opportunities, Submit Resume and Contact Us. Submit Resume allows you to provide a broad range of information which will help them in finding a match for you.

• The Marshall Group – Marshall is a professional search firm with a broad range of specialties. Their website has links on the left hand side of the page for Candidate Services, Submit a Resume, Career Tools, Contact Us and more. The career tools link provides some additional resources (such as salary survey) to help you in your search. The best way to contact them is to either call or email your resume.

• ZNC International Inc. – ZNC is an international recruiter that specializes in Technology. Their main page has a brief overview with a listing of the types of jobs they they place. No listing of open jobs on their site, but clicking their Contact Us link provides email, phone numbers and their address.

Good luck in your search.

“You, my friend, are a victim of disorganized thinking. You are under the unfortunate impression that just because you run away you have no courage; you’re confusing courage with wisdom.” – Wizard of Oz

I went on a job interview the other day (my first since landing a job during the “Great Recession”). I’m not really looking for a job, so you are probably wondering why I went on an interview. Ego is the first thing that comes to mind (how can you resist when someone is interested in you?). But I really went because it never hurts to listen and, who knows who you will meet (it is a small world). Your next question should be – “how did they know to contact you if you are not looking for a job?”. Good question. Believe it or not, they contacted me based on a resume I posted over a year ago. So, what’s my point? The point is, you need to “be in it to win it”.  Get your resume out there and you too will be interviewing. Today’s list focuses on recruiters.

• Huston, Reed & Associates – This search firm specializes in the printing industry. Their home page has links on the left for Hot Jobs, Send a Resume and Contact Us. Center page is an overview of the firm, followed by contact information (along with an email address).  Click on “hot jobs” to see current job listings. There were 11 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• HR Advantage – A simple home page, with a brief overview and contact information center page. Left hand side of the page has links to job openings, specialties, links and resources as well as a link for “How to find a job in a recession”. Clicking Job Openings leads to their list of jobs. Click any job for a more detailed description and links ot apply. There were 10 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Allen Associates – Allen Associates is a nation search firm and is focused on senior level positions in a broad range of industries. Center page is an overview. There are  a number of links on the left hand side of the page for Executive Search, Online Briefing and a number of links to related reading. Click “enquiries” for information on how to contact them, including a web form for entering your email.

• Signium International – Another global search firm, their home page has an overview, with links on the right hand side of the page for Career Portal (submit your resume) and Recent News. Clicking on Career Portal leads to a page where you can submit your resume.

• Right Recruiting – How can you go wrong with a recruiting firm called Right Recruiting? Their main page has a very long overview, with contact information at the bottom of the page. Links at the top for Newsletters (some interesting information) and Jobs (among other links). Click Jobs and go to the bottom of the page for links to jobs by categories (Engineering, Managers and Business).

Good luck in your search.

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” -Thomas A. Edison

Work, to some a four letter word. So exactly what is “underemployed”? Well, there are several definitions like – “Not fully or adequately used or employed”. In this case I am referring to either those who have a job and are under paid (yes, we all are), under utilized, not happy or just don’t have a job at all. Whatever your definition or reason for looking for a job, the most important thing is getting yourself out there (if no one knows you exist, don’t expect anyone to be calling). I am a big believer in the “mass marketing campaign” (many aren’t) – the more people who know you are on the market, the more likely you will find a job. So today’s post focuses on Recruiters and Headhunters.

Find a Recruiter: Recruiters – how do you find them?

• How to Find a Recruiter – How do you go about finding a recruiter that will fit your needs? This site (SearchFirm.com) is one place you can start your look. On the main page, click “find” and the recruiter search screen comes up. You can put in any criteria (all or none) and the search engine will return a list of recruiters that match your request. The criteria includes: Specialty, firm type, where, name contains and more. This is a great site to add to your list, but remember, don’t spend more than 20% – 25% of your time on recruiter.

• Online Recruiters Directory – This is a really neat site, offered by Online Recruiters Directory. There are a number of approaches you can take. Click Job Seeker from the tab at the top of the page, this will take you directly to the recruiters search box. Three steps – select your category (industry), job type (temp, perm, etc.) and state. Click “search recruiters” and you have your list with all of the contact information you need. You can also click the links on the right hand side of the page under “I am a Job Seeker”.

• Find a Recruiter – From findarecruiter.com, provides another search engine for you. You can select from the featured recruiters on the left-center side of the page or the search box from the right hand side. Simply select you field of interest followed by the region and then click “go find a recruiter”. This will return a list of recruiters. Click on any recruiter for the contact information.

• Recruiter Twitter List – Yes, you can even look for recruiters. This link gives a list of recruiters on Twitter. Most of the people on this list provide a brief overview and their email address.

• Recommended Recruiters – Another great site. The main page has a search box where you can enter keywords or location. You can also click the browse or advanced search at the bottom of the page. Clicking the browse button provides a page that allows you to browse by state, discipline and industry.

Good luck in you search.

“May all your troubles last as long as your New Year’s resolutions.“  – Joey Adams

Happy New Year! Another year has come and gone. 2009 was not one of the best years (to be sure) and will be long remembered by all of us. To be fair, for some the year ended better than it started if it included a new job. For others, they kept their jobs but lived with the stress of losing it. And still, for others, the pain continues (no job yet). Okay, enough whining, let’s look forward to the New Year and a new job for you.

What better place to start than to recap some of my top posts of the year?

College Grad / Entry Level Posts:

• Job Search for Graduation – As a College student, planning and job search should really start very early in your college career. Internships, Co-Op programs, volunteering and College Career Fairs require months and sometimes years of planning. Unfortunately, many College students don’t begin to plan until their Junior (and sometimes Senior) year.

• College Career Fairs – Are You Prepared? – College Career Fairs are an important part of your College Career Planning process. While they can yield some success, they are just one part of the overall process. That being said, you should be as prepared as possible. There are different types of career fairs, including virtual fairs, but the goal is the same. They provide companies the opportunity to interview a large number of applicants while allowing students to consider several companies at the same time.

• Back to School – Leverage Your Job Search for Graduation – Back to school and focusing on your final semester before graduation? Not only is this the final approach to your college degree, but you should also be putting the final touches on your job search following graduation. Back in December (Recent Grads – Taking Aim for Targeted Job Search) I reviewed some of the basics for a targeted job search, namely Internships, Campus Recruiting and Career Fairs. This should still be the plan, but you should begin to supplement this with a broader plan and additional resources for job search.

Who’s Hiring Now:

• Who’s Hiring in Your Town? – Companies are leveraging their company career sites on a more consistent basis than they have in the past. This trend has picked up pace in the last few months as the sagging economy has forced companies to look for ways to save money. This trend is likely to increase as the practice becomes a standard for most companies.

• So Many Recruiters, So Few Jobs – Who’s Hiring – There are easily hundreds of recruiters out there. Maybe there are fewer today than several months ago due to the huge drop in hiring, but there are an amazing number of firms that specialize in almost every type of career, job function and industry.

• Who’s Hiring List – Best Companies, Who’s Hiring posts, Fortune 500 lists – my list of lists with lots of links to resources.

Other Links to Consider:

• Desperately Looking for Work – For those of us who are temporarily retired (okay, the “U” word – unemployed), there comes a point in time where if you’ve not found full time employment in your field you need to start thinking about other alternatives. Whether this decision is driven by the need to do get out of the house and do something or driven by financial needs (or both), there are options that you can consider.

• Leveraging Diversity Networks in your Job Search – No matter who you are, there is probably some diversity network that applies to you. As an example: Age diversity (over 40), working mothers, women, Hispanic, Native Americans, etc.). These links focus on diversity networks in your job search.

• Thousands of Jobs, Hundreds of Job Boards – Thousands of jobs? Hundreds of Job Boards? It may sound like a lot, but I kid you not (no pun intended) and I did get your attention. If you leverage any of the top job boards, you will know that they each list hundreds of thousands of jobs. And if you’ve ever done a search on job boards you will know that there are hundreds out there.

Good luck in your search.

“Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Like many of my posts, today’s is about being the best. We’ve done “the best companies to work for” and numerous other “best” lists. As with most of these lists, much of being rated the best is subject to the person writing the list or the criteria used to “rank” the pool of participants. Likewise, much about being the best you can at any one thing is subject to opinion. What we can say about ourselves which can’t be disputed is that we try the best we can, and that is the best we can do (no pun intended). So, as Ralph Waldo Emerson says, above -”Make the Best of Yourself”.

With the year drawing to a close, I thought I would make my own “best” list. I did not use any specific criteria other than my own observations about those Job Search Sites which I feel add the most value for their “specialty”. Since there are so many great sites out there, I will do this over several posts in the next few weeks. Again, no specific order to my list other than I think they add great value and will help you in your search, whatever that might be.

General Interest Job Advice - These sites offer a broad range of advice and have been my favorites for some time now.

• JobMob – The site’s motto – “All together now” says it all. The site is about bringing together job seekers with those who have the jobs. The site is filled with tips, events, books, articles and more. To get a feel for what you will experience, take a look at the post “The Best of JobMob in 2009“, which provides links to articles on a broad range of job resource topics (way too many to list here). There are a number of ways you can stay connected to JobMob (email, RSS, Twitter, etc.). There are 4 tabs at the top right hand side of the page – Home (main page), Archive, About and Best Of. This site is in my top 10 and it should be in yours as well.

• Spin Strategy – Another top 10 blog site for me, the articles are simply amazing. Left hand side of the page tells you what it’s all about. There is a free E-Book (“30 Ideas. The Ideas of Successful Job Search.”), numerous ways to follow, a link to the website (you must visit this) and a list of recent posts. Right hand side has the top 10 posts, categories and more. Okay, now to the website – Spinstrategy.com – Tools, downloads and a link back to the blog. What more can I say, visit the site.

Job Search Resources – These sites are jam packed with topic specific resources that will help you jump start your search.

• The Riley Guide – “Providing free career and employment information since February 1994.” is the tag line for this site. Seeing is believing, and you really must visit this site. The left hand side of the page has everything you need to get to the part of the site that best serves your needs. “Navigating the Guide” provides a list of the major sections of the guide.  The middle of the site has links to what’s new, as well as the links that are on the left hand side of the page. This is then followed by a few comments on the site by career experts. This site contains an amazing number of resources.

• QuintCareers.com – “Your Job Search Starts Here” is the tag line for this site. Tons of resources, with the main page jam packed with an amazing amount of information. At the top of the page are links that will guide you to where you need to go (Student, Job Seeker, Career Changer and more). Left side of the page is filled with a long list of links to resources (career toolkit, samples, resumes and so much more). Center page starts with a search bar for job search followed by tools. Right hand side of the page Hot Resources, Free Books and more. You can spend days here getting all of the information you need for your job search.

Lists of Job Search Resources – These sites provide lists of other job search sites and are a great resource for building your list of where to look next.

• Employmentwebsites.org – “The Sources of Success” (can’t get away from these tag lines!). A list that must be a mile long, you can browse alphabetically or by Industry/Area. There are job sites, search sites, company sites and more. If you search by Industry/Area, the list on the left hand side has the industries (as well as functional job categories) while the right hand side has the area (country, state, etc.). But that is not all, the top of the page has additional links for research, Tips and more.

• General Job Listing Sites – This list is provided by job-hunt.org and is another list that will help you make your list. Center page starts the list, which is diverse and not as long as the list mentioned above. However, there is quite a bit on this page as well, with the left hand side of the page listing a very long list of resources (like Getting Started, Career Resources and more).

Good luck in your search.

“Don’t bunt. Aim out of the ballpark.” – Yogi Berra

This is the time of year when your local radio station starts the countdown of the top 500 hits of the decade ending with the number one hit on New Year’s Day. Lots of parties, lots of food, a clean slate and lots of hope for a fresh start in the New Year. Last year at this time I too was out of work, another casualty of the “Great Recession” (yes, even job search experts can lose their jobs). Soon after the New Year I was re-employed, but not as a result of my New Year’s Resolution (it should be so easy). Months of “pounding the keyboard” (for us old timers, the modern day replacement for “pounding the pavement”). Who’s to say what individual action will land you your next job? I’d like to believe that it is no one single action, but the collective actions over a period of time that help you get that special opportunity.

For those that have followed this blog over the last 300 or so posts, you will be familiar with my view that the best way to find a job is to launch a job marketing campaign, ensuring that as many people as possible know you are looking for a job.

Job Search Networking: Do you network? Take a look a these articles that will help you leverage your network in you job search.

• Successful Job Search Networking – This article, from About.com, reviews the ins and outs of job search networking. Long thought to be the best way to find a job (you know the stats that are always quoted “80% of all jobs are not advertised”), this article reviews different ways to network (yes, emails are okay) and additional links that can help (like sample job search networking newsletter) followed by some tips.

• Networking Tips - This article, from Workbloom.com, reviews tips for networking. Some of the tips are a bit out there (like “being genuine), but most are helpful (like Don’t wait until you have to). A fairly short article with some good tips, take a read.

Lists of Resources: Key to your search is where to look. Do you have your lists? A few links to a few lists which will shortcut your search.

• The Top 50 Job Resources – Quintcareers.com provides a comprehensive list of job search sites. The top 50 on this link (hard to believe there are so many that you could have a top 50). The list appears to be in alphabetical order.

• Find a Recruiter – Looking for a recruiting firm? Searchfirm.com provides a search engine for finding search firms. Just click “FIND” from the middle of the page and then add your criteria (specialty, location, etc.) to find recruiters.

Company Career Sites: – What better place to look than “at the source”. Company career sites provide one of the best ways to find a job by going directly to the source.

• The Quintessential Directory of Company Career Centers – Okay, Quintcareers.com once again. This page provides a list (too many to count) in alphabetical order. Click the letter of your choice for a list of companies. Just click on the company name to link to their company career site.

• CareerAlley Company Career Sites – Okay, this one is my list, but it is certainly worth a look. Just click on any company name to link to their career page.

Good luck in your search.

“I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph.” – Shirley Temple

You may not believe in Santa Claus, but you can get the gift you want for Christmas if you work hard over the holidays (that gift being a job, of course). The general rule of thumb (or at least my general rule of thumb) is that not much hiring goes on between the end of November and the New Year. There are several reasons for this -  the Holidays, companies who have run out of budget for the current year, planning that is mid-stream for next year and the fear that people won’t move at the end of the year (missing their bonuses – however small they may be). But while all of this is true to a certain extent, this is actually the best time of year to be ramping up your job search effort. Why, you may ask? Because for all of the reasons I raised before. The Holidays will soon be over, most companies budgets start on January 1st and the lead time for interviewing is several weeks long. So spending time now will get you in the best position for new hiring at the beginning of the New Year.

Recruiters:

• A-List Associates – This recruiting firm specializes in Executive Assistants and Administrative Support and are a New York City based firm. Their main page has tabs at the top for About Us, Why A-List?, Services, Positions and Contact Us. Click on the Positions link to view the open positions. Each position has a brief overview and you can apply fr the job directly from this page. If you don’t see a position that suits you, go to the Contact Us link and click. The Contact Us page has several contact options: phone, fax, snail mail and an online contact file (where you can attach your resume for upload).

• Harris Rand – This is a retained executive search firm that specializes in public service organizations across the US. The main page has a comprehensive overview of the company with links  on the left hand side of the page for Biographies, Client List (a good source of leads), Current Searches, Search Process and Associated Resources. Click on Current Searches to see current job opportunities. Click on any job to see the details. You can apply directly online. Contact info for the firm is located at the bottom of the Current Searches page.

• Sinon Group – This search firm has two locations, one in NY and one in Connecticut. Their main page has a high level over view with office contact information. The left hand side of the page has links for About Us, Partners, Contact Us and Current Jobs. Click Current Jobs for a list of all open positions. You can click “detail” to see additional information on any job and you can apply from within the job description or from the summary jobs page. Click on Partners to contact the partners directly (bios and contact information is provided on this page).

• Top Tier Financial – Specializing in Finance and Construction (according the their website), the main page has a company overview with tabs  at the top for Candidates, Our People and Contact. The right hand side of the page has a link for the Construction part of the firm (which has similar links). No jobs are listed on the site, but click Contact for snail mail, phone, fax and email address.

• Roberts & Ryan – A simple home page, this firm recruits for a number of industries. There is a brief overview, followed by a few tabs – Who We are, Our Experience, Candidates and Contact Us. Click Candidates and then Learn More and Submit to email your resume. Click Contact Us for telephone, fax and snail mail information.

Recruiter Lists:

• Oya’s Recruiter Directory – This site provides a list of recruiters. You can see recruiters by specialty or recruiters by location (both links are on the top left hand side of the page). Center page are the recruiter highlights for the day.

• Executive Search Firms – This list (half way down the page) is by the Riley Guide. The list is alphabetical.

• List of top recruiters,email addresses and other contact information – A slightly different approach from AskStudent.com, this is a list of companies (and the internal recruiters). The list includes 83 companies along with the contact, their email address and the website.

Good luck in your search.

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work” – Henry Ford

I was talking to a friend of my whose child is in the entertainment industry. Not well known (in fact, not known at all), but this kid has her own agent. “Her own agent?” I ask. Why does a 10 year need an agent? To help her get work of course. And then I started thinking, “wait a minute. I have an agent. In fact, I have several agents”. And you can too. Just like the 10 year old’s agent, your agent will help you find work as well. And the best part about these agents (and you know I’m talking about Headhunters and Recruiters) is that you can have more than one and they won’t be taking 10% of your paycheck (my friend’s 10 year old only has one agent and he gets 10%). I’m of the school of ‘more is more” (for job search that is), so the more you have the better the chance. Of course I’m not talking about hundreds of recruiters, but pick a handful that will work best for you.

Executive Search:

• Egon Zehnder International – Egon Zehnder is an international firm that speicalizes in a number of fields and provides a few services in addition to recruiting (consulting and advising). From their main page, click the link for Executive Search. This page provides an overview, as well as a number of resources. Click on Your Career, followed by your country to link to a page where you can enter your information. You can also click on the map, select your region/office and get direct contact information.

• Slayton Search Partners – Slayton is an executive search firm with four locations in the US. Their site has a number of tabs at the top for Candidates, Contact, About and more. The Candidates link leads to a page where you can email your resume or login/register for their resume upload process.

Specialist Recruiters:

• The Maxwell Group – This search firm specializes in finance, accounting, banking and capital markets (with the exception of Accounting, tough industries these days). Their site is fairly simple, with company overview and links on the left hand side of the page for Candidate Information, Current Positions and “Contacting Us”. The Candidate Information link provides an overview of the process and a link to register. From the Current Positions Page, you can select from three categories (Finance/Accounting, Operations and Capital Markets). Clicking on any of these lists the current positions, along with salary and location. Click on Detail to see more about the position(s). The Contact Us link provides information (name, address, telephone and email) for contacting this search firm.

• Trandon Associates Inc. – Trandon specializes in Accounting/Finance, Banking/Brokerage, Healthcare and Support Services.  Additionally, the have a consulting division that does both temporary placement as well as temp-to-perm. Their main page has three links – About Us, Career Opportunities and Contact Us. The Career Opportunities link leads to a page with links to their open and advertised positoins. Click on Contact Us for their address, telephone number and email address.

• The Wimberly Group – This firm specializes in Forest Products and Manufacturing. Their main page provides a comprehensive overview of their services. There is a Contact Us tab on the left hand side of the page, use this to forward your resume.

• Advantage Talent – This recruiting firm specializes in financial services and accounting. Their main page gives an overview of the firm with some links to their principal recruiters. Down the left hand side of the page is a list of links (too long to list here) that provides a wealth of resources. Two of the links, Candidates and Job Openings are worth a look. Candidates provides access to an online application while Job Openings allows registration and a view to all job openings. The Management Tab provides bios of key staff as well as contact information.

General Recruiters:

• Nosal Partners – Nosal is an executive search firm that specializes in a number of positions. Their main site has tabs at the top for a number of topics regarding the firm. The Resource Center (left center) has links for Current Assignments, Register your credentials and a link to a number of resources. The About Us tab lists the recruiters, click on any one for a full bio along with contact information.

• Global Hire – Global Hire recruits a broad spectrum of job functions.  The main page provides an overview of the firm with a tab at the top for “For Job Seekers”.  Click Contact Us for contact information and the ability to upload your resume in Word format.

• Niagara Partners – This firm is also a general recruiting firm in that they recruit a broad range of job functions. Their main page provides an overview of the company with three main sections at the bottom – Potential Employers (not for you), Potential Candidates and Jobs. Click “Contact Us” under the Potential Candidates section to get to contact information. Click Jobs to see a wide range of current job openings (there were in excess of 45 jobs when I checked. There is an “Apply” link at the very bottom of the page to apply for any openings that match your experience.

• Recruiting Services Group – RSG provides a full range of services for the job seeker. Their main page has a section on the right hand side for Candidate Services, which includes Career Tools (with links), Career Opportunities, Submit your Resume and “Ask a Recruiter”. Click on Career Opportunities to go to their page with career opportunities by discipline. Click on your discipline to see a list of jobs. Each job listing has who to contact to apply for the job at the end of the job description. There is also a submit your resume link from this section of the site.

Good luck in your search.

“And I’m already gone And I’m feelin’ strong” – Jack Tempchin and Robert Arnold Strandlund

I was looking at my weekly LinkedIn updates (which I usually ignore) the other day and noticed that one of my former coworkers had a new profile (and a new job). So I got to thinking, where are all of my former coworkers these days? So I called a friend and we started going through the list and I was amazed at how many times she said “no, he/she is already gone”. Already gone? Doesn’t sound good. To be fair, in many cases the individual had found a new job before they “moved on”, but there were a fair number of people who were already gone before they had a new job. So whether you are already gone by choice, looking to be gone soon or afraid you will be gone there is no better time than now to look for a job.

Starting your Job Search:

• Building Your Resume – If you’ve not visited the CareerAlley Job Search Marketing Toolkit, now is a good time. The article includes background  and links on how to build your resume, resume examples, resume templates, key words for your resume and a link for the best college resumes.

• Where to Start Your Job Search – Job-Hunt.org provides an article which helps organize your job search process. Starting with listing three stages (Preparation, Implementation and Maintenance – each with links). This is followed by additional links for a beginner’s guide, researching companies and more.

• Writing Your Cover Letters – Another post from the Job Search Marketing Toolkit, this article provides background on cover letter types and then offers up links to samples, examples and the “how to” for writing cover letters.

• How To Start Your Cover Letter With a BANG! – Your cover letter is the first thing a potential employer sees and this article is all about how to get an employer’s attention with your cover letter. Much of it is about the headline, take a read.

• Prepare for the Interview – A list of links to help prepare for your interview. Acing the interview, Telephone Interviews, Do’s and Don’ts and more. Check out the links on this page to help fast track your search.

Recruiters:

• The Maxwell Group – This search firm specializes in finance, accounting, banking and capital markets (with the exception of Accounting, tough industries these days). Their site is fairly simple, with company overview and links on the left hand side of the page for Candidate Information, Current Positions and “Contacting Us”. The Candidate Information link provides an overview of the process and a link to register. From the Current Positions Page, you can select from three categories (Finance/Accounting, Operations and Capital Markets). Clicking on any of these lists the current positions, along with salary and location. Click on Detail to see more about the position(s). The Contact Us link provides information (name, address, telephone and email) for contacting this search firm.

• Nosal Partners – Nosal is an executive search firm that specializes in a number of positions. Their main site has tabs at the top for a number of topics regarding the firm. The Resource Center (left center) has links for Current Assignments, Register your credentials and a link to a number of resources. The About Us tab lists the recruiters, click on any one for a full bio along with contact information.

• Trandon Associates Inc. – Trandon specializes in Accounting/Finance, Banking/Brokerage, Healthcare and Support Services.  Additionally, the have a consulting division that does both temporary placement as well as temp-to-perm. Their main page has three links – About Us, Career Opportunities and Contact Us. The Career Opportunities link leads to a page with links to their open and advertised positoins. Click on Contact Us for their address, telephone number and email address.

• Slayton Search Partners – Slayton is an executive search firm with four locations in the US. Their site has a number of tabs at the top for Candidates, Contact, About and more. The Candidates link leads to a page where you can email your resume or login/register for their resume upload process.

• Egon Zehnder International – Egon Zehnder is an international firm that speicalizes in a number of fields and provides a few services in addition to recruiting (consulting and advising). From their main page, click the link for Executive Search. This page provides an overview, as well as a number of resources. Click on Your Career, followed by your country to link to a page where you can enter your information. You can also click on the map, select your region/office and get direct contact information.

Good luck in your search.