CV Dragon Career Development Services/Potential Job Sources

Potential Job Sources
Less obvious sources of opportunity can sometimes be more fruitful than the traditional sources though many organisations stay with the tried and tested methods, striving to create equal opportunities.

Traditional sources include:

·	Local Media – newspaper & radio advertising.

Recruitment Agency – split between ‘high street’ & niche market operators. A number of consultancies on the high street have national agreements with large organisations so may occasionally source for specialised or senior positions away from their core business. Be selective in who you register with, to build up good relations between you and your consultant.

·	Source & Selection Consultants – commissioned to undertake recruitment activity of a specialist nature, ad-hoc applications likely to be restricted to executive levels only.

·	Web – in recent years the web has transformed the way many of us recruit or are recruited. You can now search for openings across the globe; there are sites for CV screening, skill-matching, psychometric tests and thousands of jobs are advertised by organisations or agencies daily.

·	Job Centre – often used by, though not limited to, voluntary or charitable organisations, or smaller businesses with lower recruitment budgets.

Alternative sources include:

·	National Media – broadsheet newspapers carry both prestigious and more humble openings for UK positions, often having specific roles on a particular day.

·	Business Press - study the Financial Times & The Economist where growth activity by specific organisations may mean additional resource requirements. Before such a requirement hits the job market, get your details in first.

New Appointment Announcements – identify where the incoming executive has come from as his/her previous position may be ripe for timely intervention. Similarly, a new manager may make changes across the board resulting in new opportunity for outsiders. Identify some synergy between yourself and the other party and highlight it in your call or letter.

·	Professional Journals – same principle as the business press but industry specific, in keeping with your experience.

Local Development Agencies – can spend years nurturing and attracting new business to the locality. Establish network contacts to keep up to date with potential inward investors; not only will you have a warm lead into the company but you will have plenty of historical information to take to an interview.

·	Part-time/Interim/Consultancy Work – those with advanced skill levels may find that a speculative enquiry showing a willingness to work on something other than a full-time basis may get you in the door and an opportunity to prove that your skills are indispensable.

·	Voluntary Work - often a useful way of keeping your hand in the employment market, learning new skills or opening doors that may otherwise stay firmly shut.