Looking for career resources online can be confusing. Have no fear: we are here to help you with this task. Our primary purpose is to assist you in navigating through the overwhelming information that one finds on the Internet. We have plowed through tons of career services’ websites and gathered a comprehensive view of the field, so you don’t have to do it yourself. Having this information on hand will help you considerably with your career development and job hunting.
Online Career Resources for You
Maybe you’ve just completed a versatile Ph.D., and now you are wondering what to do next. Or perhaps you are tired of your dead-end nine-to-five job and long for a change. No matter what your reason for looking for a new career path is, the job market is full of opportunities for career exploration. If you do it right, you will get the chance to earn more money and feel fulfilled with what you are doing. What you do will become more than a mere means of sustenance; it will be your calling.
Career resources are suitable for job seekers and employers alike. The former receives the chance to get the most out of their education and special skills. The latter can find individuals who have the motivation to give their company the best performance possible.
Where to Start in Career Resources
Graduate students will do well if they first go to their university’s career development center. The advisers working there will give you sound career advice and set you on the right path of development. Your college’s career center is likely to arrange the first-ever interview you go to when you start looking for career development. They know the industry you have an interest in, along with who is hiring at that moment. Their staff will be happy to assist you in finding work suitable for your educational background skills. If your college has a vacancy in its faculty that would be a suitable match for you, they are going to tell you. In many cases, alumni of the college have the first shot at such positions.
Another alternative is to decide what industry you would like to work in. Then seek career fairs that members of that industry organize. Many companies prefer to do the hiring of their employees via such events. You never know when luck will strike. You may find the position you’ve been dreaming of at one of those career fairs.
But we live in the 21st century. The most efficient way to find work today is through the Internet. That is why you should not overlook the career resources that the online environment provides, and you have easy access to with just a click of your mouse.
The Best Online Community for Career Advancement
The simple answer to that question is that there isn’t one. It all depends on the field you’ve chosen and the goals you’ve set. Some websites will help you match your resume to the company that gives work to people with your background. Others dedicate their resources to helping people out with finding an internship.
No one can tell you with a degree of certainty: “This is the one place online that can help you find work!” Such advertisements are likely to be a part of a broader scam. There are resources, though, that you should check first when you are looking for your ideal career opportunities. We have taken the time to go through them and weed out the unnecessary ones. Try our suggestions, and you will find that suddenly, things are not looking so gloomy.
Resume Banks as Career Resources
Resume banks are ideal for people with some professional background. They’re essentially databases that collect resumes from job seekers and match them with the requirements of companies that are looking for employees. It’s worth exploring them if you have professional experience in a particular industry. There are resume banks that cater to the whole job market in the United States. Others prefer to be more industry-specific.
For example, if you’ve graduated with a degree in informational technology, check out Computerwork.com. This bank gathers resumes from professionals in the IT field. They can put you in contact with firms that are looking for a person just like you. Your options depend on the degree you have, your job experience, and your requirements. You never know when you will get the chance to join the team of the next big tech start-up. We know that’s the dream for many in the sector. Even if that does not happen, you can still find work in a secure position with a good salary. There is nothing wrong with settling for security.
Broader Resume Banks
If you are interested in exploring a broader range of options, you might want to look into the less-specific resume banks. Several organizations work to provide such information. The biggest among them is the Velocity Resource Group. They operate throughout all states and cities in the U.S. What’s more, their operation is worldwide. Looking for work in Canada? Or the Caribbean, perhaps? Submit your resume to Velocity, and if employers that match your criteria are hiring, you can count on getting a call for an interview.
The company’s services work both ways. If you are a small (or big, for that matter) organization that wants to comb through potential candidates, you can use them too. The technology behind this resume bank makes it easy to find potential employees quickly and without waste of resources. Many recruiters consider it the most significant advantage of Velocity. The company’s services work both ways. If you are a small (or big, for that matter) organization that wants to comb through potential candidates, you can use them too. The technology behind this resume bank makes it easy to find potential employees quickly and without waste of resources. Many recruiters consider it the most significant advantage of Velocity.
More Specific Resume Banks
There are millions of people seeking work every day in the U.S. Their particular requirements and skills vary. A job seeker can be a college graduate or a migrant. They may specialize in emergency medicine, agriculture, or advertising. The thing about the job market in the United States is that there is a place for everyone. The trick is to know where to go to find your place. You need to be on the lookout at all times. Make use of networking opportunities and attend workshops. Join a community of like-minded individuals who share an interest in the industry you’d like to be a part of in the future.
Resume banks, however, remain the most direct way to reach out to potential employers. Ask yourself: what makes you stand out as a candidate? Maybe you speak Spanish or Portuguese. Then LatPro.com is going to be the perfect option for you. That is the fastest-developing Internet career center for people with your skills. Another great place is Net-Temps.com. That website caters almost exclusively to people who are looking for temporary positions to hone their skills or complement their income. Internship opportunities often pop up on Net-Temps.com, so if you have graduated recently, it might be the perfect place for you.
When Resume Banks are Not Enough
Banks are not the only type of career resource you should use. If you are looking for your first job, or a whole new career path, there are other places to go and opportunities to take advantage of on the Internet. Beacon Career Management, LLC, for instance, is an exciting resource. The services they offer are mostly consultancy ones. In case you are pondering on a career transition, but you do not know how to proceed, you might want to turn to them for assistance. Beacon Career Management offers a wide range of solutions. Their consultants will tell you everything you need to know about:
- Creating a strong resume
- Building a solid case for a promotion
- Improving your interviewing skills
- Enrolling in a career planning program
When one of those is a weak point for you, it may hamper your progress. Don’t allow it. Seek out the assistance of the Beacon Career management community or a similar service.
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Join a Booming Market
You may not realize how lucky you are if you have a medical degree. Health care is one of the largest industries in the United States. You may have deduced as much from your medical insurance premiums. A quick search online reveals one thing. The job market in that field is very dynamic. New positions emerge across the country every day. It comes as no surprise that career resources that target medical professionals specifically are abundant too.
CNA Buzz
Do you have a certification or degree in nursing? Or do you plan on a transition that will point you toward this particular career path? Then you should check out CNA Buzz. We are talking about precious resources and easy-to-navigate online platforms that will provide you with all the information you might need. Here you are going to learn about potential employment opportunities, salary, and how to get a certification.
Last but not least, you will discover what types of courses you will need to take, the required skills, and much more. Being a nurse is a challenge. It can be rewarding too, both in terms of salary and the good your work does for the community.
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Medical Personnel
Being part of the healthcare industry is more than making sure someone has access to cheap medical insurance. It is not a mere job; it is a vocation. That’s particularly true for people who are into emergency medicine and response. Such people can include:
- Ambulance drivers and personnel
- Firefighters
- Paramedics
- Law-enforcement professionals
- Forestry experts
Specialized training and certificates are a must for every single one of those specialists. If you are thinking about going into one of those professions, you’ll need comprehensive information. It comes as no surprise that such career resources exist. The Emergency Medical Personnel Guide is the best one we have managed to find. Here you will find every bit of information that you need to become a member of this noble caste of professionals. The tools in it include information on training, skills, and education. There is also an option to look for internship opportunities and free or volunteer positions across the country as well.
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Finding the Right Career Management
When you are considering a career transition, you need to make sure that you are ready. The process does not happen with a snap of your fingers. There are a lot of factors that you need to consider: from your job and interview skills to your hopes and dreams. That’s why online career resources such as The Job Application Center (JAC) are so valuable. Here, you will find sound career advice and tons of articles on career transition.
The most important feature of the Job Application Center is the research they do on specific companies. Let’s say you already know what work you want to be doing. The chances are that you’d prefer to be not just with any firm, but the best in the business. Use the career resources at JAC to research the industry leader and apply directly to them. Many recruiters favor this direct approach. It may seem aggressive to some, but it often works like a charm.
Some Career Options to Consider
It is possible that you already have a good job. You could be working in the office of a bank, for example. Helping people refinance their auto-loans is good for the community. Does it fulfill you, though? When you want a change, but you don’t know what this change should be, things become complicated.
In many cases, you have to sacrifice security and good pay to do what you enjoy. You need to be a hundred percent certain you can handle the initial stress. There is, however, a way out. You can still find a vocation that earns you a respectable amount of money. Let’s take a look at several such positions you might want to consider.
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Marketing Manager
Marketing and advertising are the basis of any successful company. Even if they make the right product, it’s no use when no one has heard of it. For this reason, there has been a drastic increase in demand for sound marketing executives all across the map. It is an active job that requires tons of creativity and interaction with people. The money is pretty good too. According to the statistics, marketing managers earn more than $130,000 a year. That’s on average. If you are good at your job, then the sky is your limit.
Motorcycle Mechanic
Pre-existing love of bikes should be your clue as to whether this is the perfect vocation for you. If you know your way around a bike, it shouldn’t be a problem to try to make a living out of it. Working on motorcycles is potentially much more rewarding than being a car mechanic. The latter are dealing mostly with auto-insurance claims and repairs. The former has the chance to meet people who are passionate about the same thing they are. Let’s add one more thing: bike mechanics do a specific type of work. That’s why they usually receive a much better salary. If you work hard enough, you can double the average $40,000 pay through commissions.
Air Traffic Controller
This one often gets the description of “the toughest job in the world.” Few people realize, though, how much fun being an air-traffic controller is. You get to do fantastic work, which is very important for the way our daily lives operate. There are all sorts of gadgets you get to play with while on duty. Most people see the insides of a control tower only in movies. You will never have a boring conversation about work at parties anymore. Everyone will surely want to know more about your career path.
Last but not least, both the demand for air traffic controllers and their salaries have been increasing exponentially in the past several years. Today you can make more than $120,000 a year! That’s something fun you can do for good money.
Makeup Artist
If there is a versatile job in the beauty industry, that’s the makeup artist’s one! You can do it the conventional way, in a salon. You can get calls to work in people’s homes too. You will get exclusive access to weddings, corporate and entertainment events, or even meet famous actors and actresses if you work for a performing art venue or TV. At the end of it all, you can also end up writing a tell-all book about the industry. Everyone will be interested! On average, makeup artists earn in the high five-figures annually. That is not too shabby for sure.
Ethical Hacker
Ethical hackers, or “white hackers,” are individuals that try to find vulnerabilities in the network systems of big corporations. As an ethical hacker, you will be able to combine your love for technology and the opportunity to help prestigious institutions and industry-innovators protect their work. Your employers are going to be banks, the Government, or tech-start-ups that are working on essential innovations. It pays well, and there is an atmosphere of secrecy surrounding the whole job. You will be something like James Bond of the digital age. What better way to describe your work?
If You Love Your Job, You Will Never Work a Day
The above list is, of course, only a few suggestions. You can find your vocation almost anywhere, as long as it makes you happy and pays the bills. An even more radical approach to career transition is possible as well. Instead of working for someone else, you may decide to start your own business. It all depends on you and your goals. Just remember, success in any field takes time and dedication. You might have to make a few sacrifices along the way. It is okay, as long as you keep your eyes on your career goals and never give up. Don’t forget to check the online resources we’ve shared with you as you continue with your professional development. We are a hundred percent certain you will find something useful you can take advantage of.
Do you have any firsthand experience with a career transition? Do you want to share with us your favorite online career resources? Don’t hesitate to do so in the comments section below. As always, we want to hear from you.
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