Be a Sleuth for Job Leads

A job search is likely to involve a number of different approaches.  Although online applications and responding to postings on Monster, Indeed, and other job boards are fine, the rest of your time should be spent elsewhere.   Active networking is extremely important from telling everyone you know that you are looking for a job, to using online networking as in LinkedIn.

As a librarian, I like to encourage people to do research to identify growth industries and most importantly companies that are likely to be in a hiring mode. One way of finding information about companies is to read business publications. The business sections of local and national newspapers are great places to start.

However, my favorite publications for business or company-specific information are business newspapers. These days, such newspapers have both print and online versions. In Denver, Colorado, we are fortunate to have both the Denver Business Journal and ColoradoBiz Magazine.  Both of these publications  focus solely on business, industry and economic development. 

In fact, as a I was about to write this post, I found an article on ColoradoBiz Magazine, 50 Colorado Businesses to Watch.  Here are companies worth exploring for they have been cited for their exponential growth especially with regard to jobs. 

So, once you find companies that appear to have some potential in terms of jobs, read all you can about them starting from their website. Then, you can search for additional information by using article databases in your library such as Ebsco Business Source Premier, Lexis-Nexus, The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.  Of course, do try searching the web with your favorite search engine.

Hopefully, you will have a number of companies worth contacting. Find contacts in ReferenceUSA (accessible at many public libraries) or try LinkedIn.   

That’s what the sleuth for job leads is all about.