

How do you look for jobs? - meat_fist

Just curious on some discussion about how the HN community goes about searching for a new job. Whether it is via networking, linkdedin or various job boards I was just curious how everyone went about it.
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danielkyulee
1\. The best way to get a job is through your own current network. Even if you
have never done 'networking,' realize you already have a network. Your
classmates from high school and college, parents of your friends, friends of
friends, people from your community, your neighbors, your professors, your
professors friends, etc. They are all part of your network. See what they are
all up to and see if they can recommend you to a job or introduce you to
someone who can. Companies love to hire people that they already know. I'd
love to see someone argue against this claim. 2\. If you exhausted your
current network, then maybe you should build your network. Make a list of
jobs/companies you'd want to work for, and instead of blindly applying to
those jobs, try to meet up with someone who has the job you want, or works at
the company you want to work at. It's best to get an intro, but cold-calling
also works (although you're probably going to get a lot of no responses, you
only need that one person who can help you get a job). Tell them that you want
to know more about their job/company, and ask them if they could possibly
spare some time to give advice. Offer to buy them coffee. You'd be surprised
how many people are willing to help people who want advice. Once you have
built a relationship, its much more likely they can recommend or refer you to
a job.

Can you get a job by simply applying to a job? Of course, it happens all the
time. But networking always improves your odds.

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phantom_oracle
I don't know how others do it, but I would rank it in this order:

Personal network - recruiters - apply directly

You (and others) are welcome to contest this order, as I am typing it in a bit
of a rush.

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mcrider
What is your experience with recruiters like? I'm about to move to a new city
and got hooked up with a recruiter through a friend. He seems very well
connected and professional but I'm a little nervous about putting my job
prospects in his hands. Anything I should be wary of?

~~~
fredophile
I'm not the poster you replied to but I've worked with a couple recruiters. A
good recruiter is a useful tool in your job hunt. They have a lot more info
than you will. At most you'll be looking for work every few years. They're
constantly dealing with the recruiting process at different companies. They
can help time things to get you multiple offers at the same time. This puts
you in a good negotiating position. They can also do the negotiating for you.
They usually get paid a percentage based on your salary so it's in their
interest to get you a good rate.

You should also continue to look for work on your own. I wouldn't just use a
recruiter. Keep them informed about where you're applying. They should always
ask before sending your résumé out but this helps them know where to focus
their efforts. If you don't like working with them or lose trust in them just
stop working with them. Good recruiters get a lot of business from referrals
(that's how they got your business) so they want to get a deal that'll make
you happy even if it doesn't make them quite as much money as another position
would. In my last job hunt I ended up taking the lowest paying offer I
received because it was a better fit in other ways. That cost the recruiter
money in the short term but I'd recommend him to people I know if they're
looking.

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munimkazia
So far, I have got all my previous jobs through contacts and friends.

However, I am trying to get a remote job now, and since I don't know anyone
who works in these organizations, it is turning out to be my first real job
search.

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wikwocket
Have you tried weworkremotely.com, or searching for "remote" in the monthly HN
"Who is Hiring?" threads?

~~~
bitshepherd
There's also wfh.io

~~~
munimkazia
Ah, I haven't heard of this one before. Thanks, I will have a look.

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27182818284
Real life networking will produce you the jobs fastest. When I increased my
presence at local events, even events not at all centered around recruiting /
hiring, there was a huge increase in job chatter.

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Fenicio
What is your best chance if you lack a personal network or your personal
network is in no place to help? Assuming there are no local events or they are
out of reach (geographically or time-based)

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tvvocold
[https://news.ycombinator.com/jobs](https://news.ycombinator.com/jobs)

