Job Search Advice in Chicago (job hunting, apply, non-profit, unemployed)

[dannat4]

My fiancee and I will be getting married this September, and we are planning on moving to Chicago soon after that - we're thinking March at the earliest.

We will start looking for jobs right after we get married. I just wanted to get some advice on our job search. He will be looking for a job in the writing industry - whether it be sports, entertainment, politics, etc. And I currently work for an arts non-profit and am interested in staying in the non-profit sector. I also would consider any type of PR or communications job. He graduated in December 2008, and I graduated in May 2008. By the time we move to Chicago, we will both have about 2 years of work experience (not including work experience during college).

What websites should we visit that will help us in our job search? And what companies/organizations would you recommend that we look at that would fit our interests and expertise?

Thanks in advance for your responses!

[gea12345]

Originally Posted by dannat4

My fiancee and I will be getting married this September, and we are planning on moving to Chicago soon after that - we're thinking March at the earliest.

We will start looking for jobs right after we get married. I just wanted to get some advice on our job search. He will be looking for a job in the writing industry - whether it be sports, entertainment, politics, etc. And I currently work for an arts non-profit and am interested in staying in the non-profit sector. I also would consider any type of PR or communications job. He graduated in December 2008, and I graduated in May 2008. By the time we move to Chicago, we will both have about 2 years of work experience (not including work experience during college).

What websites should we visit that will help us in our job search? And what companies/organizations would you recommend that we look at that would fit our interests and expertise?

Thanks in advance for your responses!

Well, the best advice is to use your networking opportunities at the schools you just graduated from... (those in the know say, that those students who get jobs before they graduate are better off than those who start looking after they graduate...- well this is the wisdom for law school jobs) but...

this still applies to you! Do you have any small writing classes or senior thesis classes that you took, where you made a big impression or did you shine any school related project?? If so, contact this person and ask them for their advice. Send them a note, then follow-up with a phone call. ***** i really think snail mail is better...it is too easy to delete email*** If your professor is well known, he/she may know someone in Chicago to at least get you a hello, even if not an interview.

Then make a list of the fantastic places you would want to work at and ask them if they have any paid internships. MOST large companies have external internships. Don't forget the federal govenment departments, they too have great internships, some paid.

Then have several writer top people look at your resume and make it the most eye catching as you can. Then post it on Monster, Career builder.

Then join up with student memberships prices any trade magazines you can. Read the articles and apply to companies that you would want to work with.

Volunteer at any trade industry shows in your field and network. Come preapred with a business card, short and long resume and short sales speech selling yourself.

Try to learn about your industry as much as you can.

If you are unemployed or underemployed then make sure to keep building your resume by volunteering/interning at large non-profits and offer to do whatever you spent Four years in college training to do.

Then look in your weekly newspapers, neighborhood laundrymat type newspapers, daily papers, monster, indeed,career builder, non profit websites, craigslist, ALSO your trade websites...ALSO the TOP 500 companies websites. You can get this kind of information off of any stock page.

Then talk to friends, family members, and acquaintences and let them know you are job hunting. If they tell you a job, that you are not interested in...just say thanks. Not no way, I can't do that, it just turns people off.

Tailor your self to your field. If your field is conservative, be conservative. Look at how the top people in your field dress and present themselves, then do likewise. Don't get to crazy in your job search activites, when you become desperate.

Also delete any sex, bad language, or anything a person could misinterpret from any of your Facebook type websites you might have.

Also, if one of you are a writer, create a website....try to make it worth the stop for strangers by linking to other websites... Keep it fresh and MAKE sure you keep a daily date...one of my pet peeves on websites is that iit is out of date, but doesn't say so.

Also, remember everytime you go to starbucks or the laundrymat is an opportunity to sell yourself. Keep business cards on handy. Don't talk about your job hunting as much as what you are doing. For example, the newsletter you are working on for the community center in your neighborhood....and the fact that you are job hunting will bound to come up. Try to sell yourself in five minutes, but without coming off as a sleazy sales person. Let people know that you are appreciative of any job leads even if they don't pan out.

good luck

[dannat4]

thanks for the great advice! we will definitely be using our contacts at the university we graduated from. The good thing is that it was a small private university, so we really got to know most of the professors and staff.

[gea12345]

Originally Posted by dannat4

thanks for the great advice! we will definitely be using our contacts at the university we graduated from. The good thing is that it was a small private university, so we really got to know most of the professors and staff.

your welcome and and don't lose confidence!!