How to find job openings

We live in an information society and we can easily access more information than we can ever use. But how to nagivate through everything and find reliable information? Which channels are the most effective when searching for a job?

The best way is to explore multiple options!

Contact Fairs

To visit contact fairs like Hanken's own Hanken Network Day or Campus Day, or other fairs such as Contact Forum, is a good way of getting a chance to introduce yourself personally to company representatives from companies you are interested in. In many cases, the companies offer you the chance to leave your CV directly to the representatives or to hear about future career opportunities within the company.

Internet

There are thousands of websites with information about vacancies and CV arrangements, not to mention company recruitment pages and social media of which the most important channel is LinkedIn. You need to find the pages relevant to the particular field you are interested in. When you have decided on a certain line of business you can filter out all unnecessary pages and focus on the ones that are in line with what you are looking for, and continuously visit these pages.

Take your time! Surf around and explore the options. There are no shortcuts, but once you find the right pages for you, the process will become that much easier.

You can browse the web for job hunting in several ways:

  • Use social media to network and gain information
  • Read job advertisements
  • Enroll in relevant CV-databases
  • Fill in recruitment forms for companies
  • Subscribe to information about vacancies
  • Find information about trades, enterprises, organizations and possible employers
  • Find vacancies that Career Services mediate on the Job Board or through the exclusive international career portal Highered Opens in new window that only a small part of business schools in the world can access. 

Hidden jobs

Some vacancies are never publicly advertised. The positions are filled within the organization or by people the employers happen to know - more convenient and affordable. To get a position that hasn’t been advertised requires a great deal of activity and persistence on your part. The best- case scenario is that you contact an employer just as the company is planning on recruiting new personnel, and you fit their profile. It’s worth contacting employers whether you get the job or not since most of them keep your details on file for about six months.

Personal Contacts

Most jobs are never advertised; it’s cheaper and less time-consuming for employers to fill the positions without having to advertise. So remember to be remembered among your acquaintances, and explore your network of friends, relatives and former colleagues - using your own contact network is the most efficient way of finding a job!

It is also good to remember that some companies do not start the recruiting process at all, even though there is a need for new employees. This could be due to several reasons, for example the lack of time to announce vacancies and go through the recruitment process. Contact interesting companies directly, for example by sending an open application and communicating your interest. By marketing yourself and offering your knowhow, you might get lucky and happen to be just the person the company needs – now or later!