Where Are The Coolest Jobs Hiding?

Original Post: Phil Rosenberg, reCareered.com
Yes to each and every one of those possibilities of where cool jobs are. Sure, some jobs are hidden, but most are out there. Cool jobs are everywhere but take different strategies to find them, depending on where they are found.

The first question to consider is what’s a cool job? Is it cutting edge, flexible, telecommuting, career enhancing, educational opportunities, feel good, close to home, great benefits, great pay, great boss, socially conscious, environmentally conscious, stable, executive?

Everyone has a different definition on what a cool job is, because different employees have different needs. So before you can find a cool job, you have to define what your personal cool job looks like.

After you define it, recognize that your cool job could be found most anywhere. A balanced approach to find your cool job works best.

1. Job Boards: Consider using up to 5 job boards. SimplyHired is a terrific aggregator of job boards, scraping information from 7K boards, company websites, and submissions. SimplyHired will include jobs found on CareerBuilder, Monster, Dice, and Craig’s list among many others. Regional job boards are a good place to focus in on only local jobs. Job boards from your industry association are more likely to have needs that your specific subject matter expertise can solve. Job boards covering your job function are other places that seek your expertise, and a good way to change industries. See ‘The Top 30 Job Boards For 2010‘ at http://recareered.blogspot.com/2010/02/top-30-job-boards-for-2010.html for more details.
2. Social Networks: Network, Network, Network. Update your network that you’re in active networking mode and offer to help connect others. Don’t blast spam just to ask everyone for a job. Instead, pay it forward and offer to help. You’ll be amazed how many offer to help in return when you make your network ‘Strong like bull’ http://recareered.blogspot.com/2010/07/make-your-network-links-strong-like.html.
3. In person networking: Work these, and not just the industry events. Most large cities have general networking events. Again, use a pay it forward approach to find ways to help others and build Emotional Equity. Read more about how to get many times the results over the way most people selfishly just ask ‘You know anyone who’s hiring?’ at http://recareered.blogspot.com/2010/07/achieve-enlightenment-through.html.
4. Alumni networks: Call or email your alumni office. Get lists, get listed on job boards. Call and invite everyone for coffee. You’ll have a caffeine buzz for weeks. Don’t ask for a job, ask to learn more about what made someone a success at their company – people love to brag about themselves. Dig deeper to learn about goals, issues, roadblocks and problems at their company – problems that you can solve. Talk about how you are in networking mode, and ask how you can help…paying it forward works with alumni also. Read more about successful informational interview strategies at http://recareered.blogspot.com/2010/08/bringing-your-resume-to-informational.html.
5. Recruiters: Work with the right recruiters. Work with a recruiter that is honest, who’s company has lots of listings in your field. Work with senior recruiters who know their stuff. Offer help to the recruiter, with the best recruiter currency you have. Knowledge, leads, jobs, networking, other candidates….these are all recruiter currency. To learn more about how to maximize a recruiters effectiveness for you, see http://recareered.blogspot.com/2010/03/inside-track-on-recruiters-top-10-tips.html.
Cool jobs lie everywhere….

Readers, please share – Where are you looking for yours?