One of the methods for finding a job is to flip through the local yellow pages and call every company that sounds interesting to see if there's a job opening (What Color Is Your Parachute says this is 47-69% effective in helping people find a job). Great, except that I'm trying to move to a new state, and don't have the Yellow Pages for that area. If I want to find a list of all the businesses in the area, how do I do it?
I found a website called CityOf.com. If the city you're interested in is on this website, they have a pretty comprehensive list of businesses in the area. For example, being a former clown, I looked up “Balloons” in the Eugene, Oregon area. It turns out that there are 10 companies under that heading. I can also find 9 companies in the archery business, 14 that specialize in firewood, and if I were really into bicycles, there are 20 different companies I could contact.
How I use this website
The method I'm using is as follows: First, I choose the city of Eugene, Oregon, as that's where I want to be. I then browse the business directory for topics that sound interesting. For me, the first one that caught my eye was “Amusements.”
After opening a topic, I look at the businesses in that category. At the top of the list is “Amusement Unlimited.” What do they do? No idea. So then I Google [“Amusement Unlimited” Eugene] and lo and behold, their website pops up. It turns out that they specialize in installing video games and pinball machines. Not my cup of tea. So I go on to the next business that sounds interesting. I find “Science Factory Children's Museum & Exploration Dome.” I Google it, and it turns out to be a learning center for children. It sounds fascinating to work there!
Are they hiring? Do they pay enough? Would I even like the job? I don't know. But I can mark down their name, address, phone number, & website so I can contact them to find out. This method doesn't guarantee a job at any specific company you research; but you can't get hired if you don't know the company exists.
A Caveat
This method works best if you have a location in mind, but aren't as picky as to the type of job. It wouldn't work as well if you know the job you want but don't care where. Since location is a higher priority than specific job for me at the moment, this method is giving me a broad view of companies I can contact when I'm ready to start knocking doors.
Any success for you? What jobs or companies did you find that you wouldn't have found otherwise?
I've read though a number of posts in this blog, and I find the information both engaging and informative, but I think it overlooks a large section of possibilities. Looking for a job is not the only way to get a job, and working for someone else may not appeal to all people. A huge amount of the work force today is self-employed. Yet many people don't understand what to do to become self-employed, or even scarier, running a full fledged business. And many times businesses fail simply because people find out it wasn't what they thought, or hoped, it was going to be. What advice do you have to help someone see if what they really want to do is work for themselves?
ReplyDeleteWow! What a lot of different ways to earn a living- some definitely more desirable than others. It is interesting to see what I am drawn to.
ReplyDelete@Ballonguy
ReplyDeleteIt's true that self-employment is another valid option. While it's a little out of my range of expertise, here's what I would suggest.
I would recommend checking out a copy of "What Color is your Parachute" from the library and looking at the chapter on self-employment. He gives you a list of websites that are dedicated to the topic.
SBA.gov is a government agency that that deals with small businesses, and it has a number of resources to help you get started (under Small Business Planner).
And most importantly, talk to at least a couple of people who have started their own businesses, especially in a field similar to the one you're interested in. See what their experiences have been like.
Good luck!