Simply Hired Blog

How to Optimize Your Simply Hired Job Search

Simply Hired has 8+ million job listings. It is important to sift through the jobs to find only those relevant to your job search. You can do that through Boolean operators. However, you can also accomplish the same thing through Simply Hired's advanced search feature.

To get the advanced search click the link on the right side of the search results page.

From the advanced search page a variety of options will appear:

Keyword:

• with all the words: Use this option when you have specific words that you would like the job description or title to include. This can include skills which you have used in the past.  
• with the exact phrase: If you have a series of words that you would like to see in the job description or title input them here.
• with at least one of the words: When you have multiple skills that you are flexible on which you use include them here.
• without the words: Remove any jobs which include skills or job titles which are not a match for you.
• within job title: For if you have a specific word or title that you are interested in.
• within company name: Already know which company you want to work at? Excellent! Input your dream company in this field.

Location: To conduct a search you must have at least one keyword and/or location. If commute time is an item of consideration in your search you can change the radius to focus on one specific city.

Preferences: If you dislike moving from page to page increase the number of jobs per page. Also you can opt to change the order of the jobs to by date instead of the default by relevance.

Once you have made the search that is ideal for your needs setup an email alert to receive the jobs automatically in your inbox.

 

3 Things You Need to Know About Obama’s New Federal Program for the Long-Term Unemployed

By Gerrit Hall

If you’ve been out of work for six months or longer, you might feel like every month that goes by it becomes more impossible to find a job. Keeping skills and experience current is not only important for your own professional development, but employers often want to see that you’ve been active while searching for your next job.

A new Federal program announced last week is aimed at helping the long-term unemployed gain this much-needed experience -- and maybe even land a new job. In an effort to help the 5.3 million Americans who have been out of work long-term, the program would be modeled after one implemented in Georgia, which allowed workers to continue collecting unemployment benefits -- along with a stipend to cover transportation and other expenses -- while trying out a job (at no cost to the employer). This helped workers keep up with current skills and learn new ones while still receiving unemployment assistance.

Here’s what else you need to know about it:

1. Only 10 states can participate (for now). The Labor Department is in charge of the application process and will choose which states will be part of the model program. Currently, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Utah and Missouri are among several states that combine unemployment benefits with on-the-job training, according to FoxNews.com. The states chosen will be able to develop new ways to help the unemployed get back to work faster.

2. It’s part of an overhaul of the unemployment insurance system. In the coming months, the Labor Department will announce additional initiatives to reform the unemployment insurance system -- to essentially turn the unemployment program into a “reemployment” program -- including providing employers tools to avoid layoffs, helping the unemployed get back into the workforce faster and even expand opportunities for the unemployed to start their own businesses, a post on the White House blog states.

3. It could help you land your next job. The Georgia program, called “Georgia Works,” found that about a third of the time workers who participated in these trial periods ended up getting hired full-time. And even if you don’t get hired at the company you’ve trained with, having the additional experience and skills to list on your resume is certainly a leg up that can help you land a job someplace else.

What do you think of this new initiative? Would you participate in a trial period with an employer to keep your skills current while unemployed?

Gerrit Hall is the CEO and co-founder of RezScore, a free web application that reads, analyzes, and grades resumes – instantly. Gerrit has successfully combined his passion for computer science and the careers space by helping job seekers write the best resume possible. You can connect with Gerrit and RezScore on Facebook and Twitter.

6 Reasons You Need to be Active on Facebook if You’re Unemployed

By Gerrit Hall

Social networks are a prime way to find a new job. Not sold? According to an infographic by Jobvite, one in six Americans actually found their last job through an online social network.

What may be more surprising to many professionals is that Facebook topped the list with the most job seeking activity (44%), followed by LinkedIn (26%) and Twitter (23%). In fact, a whopping 18.4 million Americans said that Facebook got them their current job.

Facebook isn’t just for farming your (virtual) land or posting pictures of your cat -- it’s also valuable for the following reasons:

1. It’s a prime way to keep in touch with your network. Most active users spend about 50 minutes per day on Facebook. And with Facebook mobile and apps, some people even check their notifications as they happen.

2. Employers are looking at your online presence. With the new Timeline layout of user profiles, employers can learn more about your past with a few simple clicks on different years in the side panel. Want to impress them? Include past career milestones on your Timeline to show them your value as a job candidate. Oh, and get rid of anything that may be deemed unprofessional or lock down your privacy settings to only share what you want them to see.

3. Your Facebook network is more willing to help. The people you’ve friended on Facebook probably know you better (and on a more personal level) than those you’re connected with on Twitter or LinkedIn. It’s quite likely the reason Facebook trumps LinkedIn and Twitter in job search success is because the connections you have there are much stronger than most of those in your professional networks.

4. Newsfeed delivers your update to each and every one of your friends. That is, if they haven’t hidden you from their feed! A simple update about your job search or question about a company has the possibility to spark a conversation with any one of the folks you’re connected to -- and could lead to a stronger relationship with those individuals. Heck, you might even find out that you have friends that work at one of your ideal companies or can refer you to their boss.

5. Getting job search feedback has never been easier. With the unemployment rate at a steady eight percent, it’s probable that some of your fellow friends are also on the job hunt. On the flip side, you also have friends who are part of the hiring process for their company. Use these resources! Although I wouldn’t recommend being negative in your status updates (such as complaining about a certain company who rejected your application), asking for advice or resources to better your job search can certainly lead to better results.

6. Pages and groups are primary ways to keep up with your industry. By “liking” your ideal companies on Facebook, you can receive instant updates on news and job opportunities. Following industry news outlets or blogs is also helpful in keeping up with trends and current events. Better than that, “liking” your ideal company BEFORE applying and interacting with some of their posts first, may be the best way to get an ‘in’. Companies love to hire people who are already fans of their products. I know we do!

Do you use Facebook in your job search? How has it impacted your job search success?

Gerrit Hall is the CEO and co-founder of RezScore, a free web application that reads, analyzes, and grades resumes – instantly. Gerrit has successfully combined his passion for computer science and the careers space by helping job seekers write the best resume possible. You can connect with Gerrit and RezScore on Facebook and Twitter.

Celebrate Earth Day Year Round - Get a Green Job

Did you celebrate Earth Day this past Sunday? As a job seeker, you have the unique opportunity to celebrate Earth Day all year round by working in a green job. In order to land a green job, you do not need to wear hemp sandals and enjoy hugging trees (although we’re sure the trees won’t mind). Sustainability has become a legitimate business value for the modern organization across all industries. In fact, 45,000+ jobs exist on SimplyHired.com today that are classified as green. 

How do we define these jobs as green? They are occupations that are focused on the environment and sustainability, from clean energy to green supply chains. There are many jobs at businesses that create products or services focused on the environment or conserving natural resources. Or, they can be internal positions to help a company’s processes become more sustainable or environmentally-friendly. 

A number of specific job titles have grown in this space, including:

• Environmental Compliance jobs
  • Example titles: Environmental Compliance Manager and Environmental Compliance Specialist
• Energy Efficiency jobs
  • Example titles: Energy Efficiency Engineer and Energy Efficiency Program Manager
• Environmental Program Managers
• Sustainability Coordinators

Make your next job a green job. Go to simplyhired.com/green to get started.

Preparing for your Career in College: Building a Network

People have been networking to find work since the time of the Ancient Romans, and today, more than ever, jobs are found through networking!  Once you have built up a network you will be able to request referrals and recommendations from your contacts.  Referrals can ensure that your resume ends up at the top of pile.  But building a professional network takes time.  Fortunately, it is a process that you can begin while still in college.  So if you are not networking already, here’s how to start:

• Connect: Not sure where to start to make connections?  Your professors, instructors, and teachers can be a great source for connections within your future industry.  If you work an internship everyone you meet there is a potential connection.  You can also search for groups of professionals on LinkedIn by just click on “Groups”.   Additionally, you can look for career specific blogs, bloggers, and websites online and on Twitter.  Providing relevant comments on blog posts can get you noticed by bloggers and others in your future industry.  This will not only generate contacts but also, by keeping you informed of what’s going on in your future industry, ensure that you will be an insightful and knowledgable candidate in a job interview.

• Conferences, Seminars, and Lectures:  Attending speaking events is an excellent way to learn more about career paths, make connections, and hear about job opportunities. Colleges often host these events, but if your college does not, check area libraries and colleges.  You can also search online or ask professors and department staff.  If the subject of the conference or lecture sounds interesting go ahead and attend, you never know who you’ll meet that can help your career!  Always be on the lookout to make new connections at these events.  Asking questions during Q & A segments and staying afterwards to continue the discussion with presenters and other attendees are great ways to turn these engagements into networking opportunities.  

• LinkedIn Account: These are not just for individuals with jobs.  If you haven’t already, make an account.  When you meet contacts that work in your desired industry, request their contact information, and connect with the on LinkedIn.  You can also search for and join groups related to the industries you want to work on LinkedIn.  They have over 1 million groups so finding some relevant to your career goals won’t be too difficult. Once you join a group you can then request to connect with other group members. 

• Business Cards: The business card is the best way to exchange contact information.  Even if you don’t have a job it’s a good idea to have cards so you can distribute your contact information.  Order some cards online and be sure to include on them your professional email address (firstname.lastname@emailclient.com) and LinkedIn account information.  Keep in mind that your university email address may no longer be available to you upon graduation!  Distribute your business card to contacts you make when going to career and job fairs, conferences, and other career-related events.