5 Ways to Find a Job This Summer
If you've been looking for a job all year, you're probably worn out and need a break. Unfortunately when it comes to looking for a job, there's no rest for the weary. However, summer is a great time to change your approach, try new things and take advantage of the unique job-hunting opportunities summer has to offer. Five experts give us advice on how to find a job this summer.
Get out there
Temping isn't what it used to be, so summer is a great time to give it a try.
"As summer kicks off, register with several local and national temporary staffing agencies," said Gretchen Rost,principal at Mom Corps, a high-level placement firm in Charlotte and New York.
"Professional temp work doesn't mean what it did 20, even 10 years ago. There are agencies that support admin staff, but also ones that specifically cater to more senior-level and specialized professionals looking for flexible work options. These opportunities open up in the summer as companies are looking to fill vacation voids left by permanent employees. Share your skills and experience with these agencies as well as your work preferences."
Make the most of your summer job.
Part-time or seasonal jobs can lead to full-time opportunities or references, said Sharon DeLay, owner of BoldlyGO Career and HR Management. So even if your summer will be spent working at an ice cream stand, it's important to be on your best behavior.
"Be professional," DeLay said. "While this covers a whole range of things, specifically it is important to approach this job with the same professionalism and propriety that you would if this were a full-time, professional position."
That includes being dependable, showing up on time and going above and beyond your job duties, DeLay said.
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Use your summer to get social
If you've been too busy to get your social media accounts in order, summer might be the perfect time. When you're looking for a job, it's not about how many followers you have but who you're following. That's because businesses are increasingly using social media to hire.
"Follow employees and the companies you are interested in, said Joe Sharron, the director of talent at Chitika, an online ad network and data analytics firm. "You can learn more about the company culture, stay in the loop on the latest news and connect with the right people through participation in conversations on comments, tweets and the like."
Sharron said that this kind of engagement will give you a direct connection to the company and may get you in for an interview quicker than a generic résumé.
Go out and party
Summer is a particularly social time. You'll probably be attending parties, picnics and hanging out at friends' beach houses. Make the most of the face time. You never know whom you'll meet there.
"Tell everyone you know what you are looking for, said Dayna Steele, a radio host, entrepreneur and Fast Company blogger."You never know who they know."
Steele suggests you make a point this summer of hanging out and networking with the people you want to work with.
Relax and get focused
There's nothing like a day relaxing at the beach or pool side to let your mind wander and give you time to think about what kind of job you really want and what kind of company you want to work for.
"Identify and target a list of organizations you're interested in helping," said Mitchell Friedman, a consultant and member of the career development and student affairs office at Presidio Graduate School. "Such focus will inform your informational interviewing, social media use, and, in short, daily conversations you have where you have an opportunity to seek guidance and assistance from others. In turn, you'll modify your résumé and LinkedIn profile so they demonstrate your ability to address specific problems for the types of organizations you've targeted."
This story was provided by BusinessNewsDaily, a sister site to LiveScience.
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