When serious job seekers pick up the newspaper, they see it as much more than a daily dose of current events and sports highlights with a separate section of help-wanted ads. They use the paper as a research tool to help them identify career options and stand out from their competition.
If you are proactive in your job search and attentive as you read the different parts of the paper, you’ll find details on company transitions, industry trends and other critical data that can propel your success in the job market.
You’ll also find hidden job opportunities at every turn.
How can the newspaper assist in your job hunt? Check out the following ideas:
Track company and industry trends. The more you know about your field, the better impression you will make with potential employers. Let’s say you are a health-care executive who has been out of the industry for a while. You’ll do best in your interviews if you have up-to-date knowledge of the challenges, innovations and trends that exist in the business.
The newspaper will also provide data on corporate mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, giving you a heads up on changes within the industry, and alerting you to current and potential job openings.
Find hidden opportunities. Feature stories are famous for using a single word or phrase to describe a business, which can help you understand the current status and even the future direction of a company.
For instance, an organization may be depicted as “struggling,” “rapidly growing” or a “promising startup.” All of these words provide insight into the company, and give you enough knowledge to position yourself as a new employee or manager.
Regardless of where in the paper you see these descriptive phrases, they are loaded with key information for job hunters. Allow yourself to generalize at first, and then conduct further research to back up your findings.
Let’s take “promising startup” as an example. A startup usually has an ambitious team that needs structure and leadership in order to thrive in the marketplace. Since the reporter used the word “promising,” the employees are not falling on their faces, and the future looks good. How can you fit in? If you’re competent in organizational development, strategic planning or team building, this company might be your next employer.
On the other hand, if you read that a business is “struggling,” do a little bit more research to figure out if the problem is something that you may help solve. Maybe the industry is shifting and the company is not fully prepared. Or perhaps they just need some new creative energy to establish them as a leader in their field. If you think you have a solution to their problem, contact them right away.
Learn about the local market. Some trends go beyond a single company or industry, and encompass a city, region or significant part of the country. By reading the local or regional paper, you will stay aware of fluctuations in the market and business community.
Keep your eyes open for hidden openings, and apply your updated knowledge when you prepare your resume and cover letter, contact companies and talk about the many reasons that you’re the best person for the job.
Send your job search questions to eve.getajob@gmail.com.
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