Where should I look for job advertisements?

Job vacancies are advertised in all kinds of publications ranging from national daily newspapers to local papers and newsletters. Several of the national papers specialise in different sectors on different days of the week, and that day’s paper will be the place to go for opportunities in that particular sector. The Guardian, for example, has a media section on Monday, an education section on Tuesdays and a social work/public sector section on Wednesday. Find out which papers dedicate days to the field you’re interested in across all the papers, and get hold of the appropriate issues.

There are also regional and national papers that specialise in job advertisements. The best way to find them is to see what’s on offer on the shelves of a decent-sized local newsagents. To be sure you’ve got them all covered ask the newsagent as well. Trade journals and magazines dealing with your industry or profession are another source of ads, and it may be worth subscribing to these publications to keep your eye on what’s available. These magazines will also help you keep abreast of what’s going on in the industry, providing some idea of which organisations may be in the process of expansion and thus looking for new staff. In that kind of situation, a polite phone call or a well crafted letter offering your services can sometimes yield results.

Depending on the kind of work you’re aiming for, your local Job Centre may well be worth a visit. The other main source of advertisements is the internet, either on the websites of organisations you’re interested in or through online job-search agency sites.