THE MODERN JOB SEARCH - WHAT THEY DON'T TELL YOU

 When I was looking for a job, I watched several online seminars about how to find a job.  All of them told me that I have to network and not to bother with the job search sites.  But they failed to mention how am I going to find companies to network with.  How do you find companies who handle your field of work?  Everyone knows the big company names, but what are the smaller and more regional companies?

And how do you know who is hiring?  They talk about the hidden job market like it's some state secret.  But they never tell you the fine details.

So, here is how I worked the system.  Tell me if this make sense.

1.  I used the job boards to research companies hiring in my job field.  While many companies need technical support people like me, you can't be sure of your fit unless you read their job descriptions.  Also, just learning the company name helps.

2.  I then went to LinkedIn and found contacts for the company and started following them.  Invariably, they also started following me back if they were active.  I also followed HR people at the company as well as people who might one day be my manager

3.  I commented on their posts, and yes, I responded to their job postings with my resume and my cover letter.

So, this is how you start your search wide, and narrow your focus.