Thread by @vinivinidogo

Since I don’t have anywhere to go or anyone to hang with this NYE, figured I’d do my first thread & help everyone begin a more productive 2019 by helping you find work

But first, a few things:

I’m by no means an expert, but I’ve worked consistently as an employee & independent contractor for over 20y and not been w/o work more than 3w

What I’m suggesting won’t work 4 everyone, so don’t @ me, but if this helps SOMEONE then it worked anyway

So here goes

When looking for work many often go 2 the usual suspects: Monster, Indeed, Idealist, Jobcase, etc

Many overlook LinkedIn

There’s the general Jobs tab that everyone uses, but the hidden gems can often be found in the Groups

Joining Groups on LinkedIn can lead to job openings & opportunities that you wouldn’t normally find elsewhere. And there are Groups for EVERYTHING...social workers, voiceover talent, nonprofits...etc

Joining the groups gets you access to the discussion boards

Select the groups you want to join, and then set your LinkedIn account to notify you of updates 2 the group discussions.

I usually go thru mine weekly...and often I see jobs listed here that aren’t found anywhere...job fairs...take the time, it’s worth it

Now there’s many on Twitter who are FAR more knowledgeable about LinkedIn, but a few warnings:
1. Set your acct 2 PRIVATE. That way YOU control who sees your info. Companies oft have people scour their employees profiles to see who’s looking. It’s not their business

2. DO NOT CONNECT YOUR SM account to your LinkedIn. If you need to display your work for ANY reason, CREATE A SEPARATE ACCOUNT (Wordpress, SoundCloud, etc) away from your personal SM for this. Make sure friends & colleagues know so they also link to the right account

A quick word about recruiters: like anything there’s good & bad. But the info they can provide can be worth its weight in gold.

Depending on what you’re looking for, there’s probably an agency to help you, like RealStaffing, Kelly Services, Aerotek..

Often we get so locked into working we often forget there’s other companies & jobs out there. Recruiters can provide valuable info on not just jobs...but SALARIES

Info you can then use in your own salary negotiations down the line

often tell people ALWAYS take the recruiters call & listen 2 jobs they have. Even if it’s not something you’re interested in, send it 2 a friend. If you help the recruiter find someone for their job, when they DO get something you’re good for, you’ll be the first they call

Which brings me to my last thing: NETWORKING

YOUR friends, YOUR colleagues can sometimes be the best job search engine you have.

Remember it’s not always WHAT you know, it’s WHO you know

If you all work in the same fields/industry, USE it to your advantage

I have an email list of over 40 friends & colleagues that I send out jobs to that I hear about from recruiters, or see online. The understanding is if they can’t use the job, pass it on..

You can do the same...everyone working together to look out for each other

A few final notes:

1. Try 2 create a couple of different resumes, especially if you’re looking across different job fields.
2. THOROUGHLY VET YOUR references. I’ve heard stories where people missed jobs because their personal references dragged them. Know what they’re gonna say

3. READ ALL CONTRACTS & OFFER LETTERS CAREFULLY

If you know a lawyer or someone who’s good with legal language ask them to help

Don’t be afraid to make & ask for revisions if something seems funky. No regrets

That’s all I have. Like I said I hope this helps at least ONE person see the job search process differently & make it more productive

Let your friends help you & you pay it forward in return

Let’s get to work in 2019👍🏾