Top Ten Tips for Sourcing Jobs
As you search, consider jobs that could have career potential. For instance, maybe you know of companies in your network who have upward mobility and/or career trajectory opportunities. Or perhaps there is an opportunity that explicitly offers training and education to further their careers. As the job market becomes more competitive, seeking jobs that offer longer-term stability and growth are attractive options.
Focus on sourcing opportunities that are in recession-proof fields. Generally, these sectors are a good starting point: healthcare industry, construction, auto
mechanics and public utility services. Industries typically harder hit by an economic downturn are hospitality, tourism and food services.
Second chance / fair chance hiring is the act of hiring individuals who were formerly incarcerated, in recovery or have previously experienced hardships that have kept them out of the working sector for a certain amount of time. When researching positions to post, seek out companies that express a commitment to second / fair chance hiring processes.
When searching for jobs, consider what language is used in the description. For instance, jobs that are sometimes more accessible use language like “degree preferred” or “equivalent experience” is listed instead of requiring a degree. Some members and alumni do have degrees and others do not but have a combination of skills and experiences that could qualify as equivalent experience.
Consider leveraging your individual connections and professional network to see who may be interested in hiring our members and alumni. Encourage them to check out information about becoming an employment partner and posting positions to the job board.
Our members and alumni have a variety of employment histories, skills and experiences. This variety means that there is no need to limit the types of jobs that you submit. We want the job board to be a place where there are unlimited opportunities for our community to explore and decide their career path.
There are times when temporary and/or contract job opportunities can be the right fit for our members and alumni. While seeking these types of opportunities, pay special attention to the hourly pay rate to ensure it is equitable for the geography of the position. Also, in the description, make sure to indicate that it is a temporary position and include the term length or date range.
When sourcing jobs to post, it is important for us to check our own biases about what jobs may be of interest to members and alumni or what we think they would “qualify” for. It is not up to us to determine “fit” but rather to provide a diverse array of opportunities. When searching, look for descriptions that are inclusive. For example, a job opportunity that uses inclusive language around gender identity and expresses commitments to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce.
We have members and alumni who are seeking job opportunities in areas across the country. Don’t limit your postings to a chapter city! Think about the geography around a chapter city (or major cities) that are accessible to public transportation.
If you come across hiring events or job fairs, please feel free to post them! When you list the event, please denote by using the following naming convention in the title: “HIRINGEVENTNAME HIRING EVENT”. For example, “Mid Atlantic Job Fair” or “California Hiring Convention.” Please make sure to include the date of the event itself in the end date listing and the link to sign-up or RSVP in the website link section of the listing.
