How to Find Out Which Companies Are Hiring

Most people on the hunt for a new job or position all look in the same, usual places.  But there are better, more efficient ways to find where the jobs are.  And, if you do it right, it can lead you to a conversation with the actual person who is hiring.  Forget about posting your resume to the big job boards.  Even if you get a call from a recruiter, chances are they haven't really read it and don't have a lead on a job for you.  They're just trying to build up their database.  Work smarter toward finding your next opportunity and try these tactics.

Related:  Less Well Known Job Listings

Your local Chamber of Commerce is a great resource for information on the businesses in your area.  Most have a website that lists all their members.  Some will contain information about the type of business, as well as a link to their website.  Take a look, you'll be surprised at the businesses in your own community that you never even knew about.  Give the Chamber of Commerce a call and ask if they know of any businesses hiring and mention specifically the companies you're interested in.  Frequently, either a company has told the Chamber directly that they're looking to hire for open positions or someone working at the Chamber has heard about it through their networking channels.  This is a great way to find out who's hiring and get the name and number of someone at the company to contact. Don't apply online, even if it's offered. Call first, have some questions about the company and the position ready and then ask what the best way to apply would be. Chances are, the person will just have you send your resume to them directly which greatly increases your probability of an interview.  

You've heard me say this before, but seriously, go to Twitter.  Find companies that you want to work for and follow them.  If you comment on their tweets or retweet for them, they'll start to notice you.  Make sure everything you tweet on your account is professional and focused on demonstrating your expertise.  When they do tweet openings, reply with a question.  You'll get a response, there's always a person on the other end of a Twitter account.  But if you've been interacting with them prior to asking about a job, they'll already be familiar with you and much more likely to engage in a conversation outside of Twitter. And once that happens, you're already half-way to your interview.

Related:  Questions to Ask During an Interview

Most companies have a business page on LinkedIn.  Look it up and follow them. They'll list open positions on the company page and will give instructions on the best way to apply.  Even better, LinkedIn will show you how you're connected to people at the company, even if they aren't directly in your network.  You'll see second degree connections and who you have in common.  If you're interested in a position, take a look at who could introduce you to someone in the company. Once introduced, have questions ready about the company and the position. After you've communicated with your new friend a couple of times, ask if they could recommend someone involved in the hiring process that you could speak with. Once you're in touch with actual people you're much more likely to be invited to interview.  People like to work with people they know, it's less of a risk.  

Just finding a job in this competitive market is more difficult than it's ever been before.  And if you're in a higher level position, the only way to advance is to move to another company.  There are ways to position yourself for the greatest probability of success.  The main thing is to get yourself out there talking to and connecting with actual people.  The internet is a great resource, but you can't rely on that alone.  The greatest resource is still other people.  Which is great, talking to people is more fun than submitting resumes all day.  And you get better results, too.