Common Job Lead Sources

If you are currently unemployed and need work right away leave no stone unturned. Use every lead source that's available to you. If, however, you're working and looking to make a change you can afford to be more selective in your approach.

How effective the source is at bringing your candidacy to the hiring authority’s attention should also be considered. To get the job you must first get in front of the hiring manager. Different lead sources provide different levels of accessibility to the hiring authority.

The following are several lead sources commonly used today. Some are more effective than others. All have good points and bad points.

Common Lead Sources

• Hiring Company Web-sites
  
  Hiring companies sometimes post their current openings on their company web-sites. Others may simply offer a way to submit your candidacy without knowing what positions may be open. Understanding what happens from there will help your job search efforts.
  
  
• Job Search Engines and Job Boards
  
  Understanding how job search engines and job banks work can help you get the most from them. It can also help you avoid being hurt by them.
  
  
• Staffing Firms and Placement Companies
  
  Examine both sides of working with staffing agencies, head hunters and other staffing organizations to decide whether this job lead source is right for you.
  
  
• Networking
  
  This is the number one most effective and most useful job lead source available to every job seeker. It's also one of the most underutilized sources.

  Networking as I use the term means prospecting for work both "where you stand" as well as "where your advocates stand". All you need to do is Work It.

• On-line Social Networking
  
  

  This lead source is technically part of networking. The fact that sites such as LinkedIn can be used to locate executives in your target companies; makes these on-line communities valuable lead sources in their own right as well.

• Classified ads (both on-line and offline)
  
  

  You can still find job opportunities in the classified section of larger metropolitan areas. The choices will sometimes surprise you.

• Career Fairs or Job Fairs
  
  

  These are effective information sources for job market intelligence. They may also provide a "foot-in-the-door" way to employment. Decide for yourself whether this source is a good use of your time.

• Local unemployment offices
  
  

  This job lead source as been around almost as long as classified ads. Don't overlook this as a possible source for your next position.

Understanding how these lead sources work can give you an Employment Edge.