August 2004
The Quintessential Niche Job Board
By
President of Workforce Associates
and author of
NetWork: Maximizing Your Career Resources on the Internet
Available online and in print from Author House
August 2004
The Quintessential Niche Job Board
By
President of Workforce Associates
and author of
NetWork: Maximizing Your Career Resources on the Internet
Available online and in print from Author House
The Quintessential Niche Job Board
Since my day job is researching and writing reports in workforce development, you’re perfectly justified in asking the question: How do I know about the latest in Internet job search techniques and trends? Well, I don’t pretend to know everything about it. No one, even those who spend the entire waking hours on this subject, can keep up with the relentless pace of technological developments in web design, assessment testing, automatic tracking systems, thousands of job boards that come, expand, and occasionally disappear! However, I continually monitor many sources of information on a daily basis which I compile to make available to you every month. In addition, my email box is open for your resumes to be vetted and edited. Many of you send them my way monthly for comments. Some of you are kind enough to keep me in the loop re the progress/regress of your job search.
One of my favorite sources is Peter Weddle of www.weddles.com. Haven’t met Peter yet but did spend a delightful hour with him on the telephone, determining that he was just as conscientious in his efforts to educate and enlighten employers about this new technology as I am re helping job seekers of all kinds. Peter’s email newsletters are valuable while you’re in the job search mode because they give you insights from Peter’s extensive surveying of employers about how they are finding qualified job candidates – folks just like you! Peter also surveys job seekers to learn how they are finding jobs through the Internet, which is valuable info for his employer clients. Here is a summary of Peter’s latest findings from job seekers around the country re how they’re handling the current job searching scene:
The extensive layoff situation of the last few years effectively eliminated the informal career coaches and mentors that most people traditionally found among their co-workers. So, where are they turning now for advice and support? Increasingly, the answer is their favorite job boards. Although much has been written about the allegedly low levels of hiring at job boards, our poll found a very high level of satisfaction among job seekers using their services. Finding a new or better job clearly remained a difficult challenge during the study period, yet 75% of the respondents reported that the Internet was very helpful in their job search efforts, while just 1% said it wasn’t helpful.
What does Peter Weddle think is behind this solid base of support for job boards? His study found that it was largely driven by job seekers’ familiarity with an ever expanding world of job boards and the alternative pathways they provide into the labor market. As a consequence, they have apparently now made the regular use of multiple employment sites an integral part of their workaday lives. Consider this:
- More than a third of respondents (37%) visited employment sites more that 3 times per week, while over half (57%) visited these sites more than twice a week.
- Almost half of respondents (45%) visited five or more employment sites, while 41% visited 2 to 5 sites.
- One-third of respondents spent 6 to 10 minutes on each of the employment sites they visited while another one-third spent 21 minutes or more. Only 8% spent 1 to 5 minutes at these sites.
Their decision to visit one job board rather than another is based on a number of factors that reveal a growing level of sophistication about the range of career services that are now available online. According to the survey’s respondents:
Niche sites, particularly those that specialize in their career field or industry, are most helpful. Almost two-thirds (64%) prefer niche sites, while 24% prefer general purpose employment sites (i.e., those that post jobs in all or most professions, crafts and trades). Does this mean you shouldn’t post jobs on general purpose boards? Of course not. What these job seekers are telling us is that the secret to effective sourcing is to use both. Normally, I recommend a strategy of 2 + n, or two general purpose boards and several niche boards chosen for their how closely they match your field of interest. You should use two general purpose boards because the research shows that visitors to one site (for example, www.yahoo.com, www.hotjobs.com, www.careerbuilder.com ) are unlikely to go to another such as www.Monster.com . In addition, you should use at least five niche sites in order to cover the career field, industry and geographic location of your employer’s opening. That’s the only way you can ensure that you have sufficient and appropriate reach into the prospect population.
www.Chronicle.com – the quintessential niche board
The Chronicle of Higher Education is to those with university degrees as The Wall Street Journal is to those with MBA’s – chock full of information weekly about trends and activities in higher education. It has what looks at first glance to be a modest "Jobs" section BUT when you open this link, you’re in for a wonderful surprise – hundreds of jobs requiring at least a Bachelor’s Degree across the country in every college and university. What is even more impressive is how foundations, research institutes, think tanks, non-profit organizations, etc. also post their job openings.
And another feature is the list of resources for those in academic positions who may want to consider other career alternatives. Here is a sample of the many links to all kinds of professional positions in the sciences, social sciences, mathematics, and liberal arts fields. Also check Chronicle’s links to career centers in universities and opportunities in the public sector:
Career Alternatives for Math and Science Ph.D.'s
Chemistry
Chemistry & Industry Jobs
Job listings in chemical and allied industries from Chemistry & Industry, a bimonthly magazine published by the Society of Chemical Industry. Users may also post their CV's on the site.
Chemjobs.Net
This site for chemists, biochemists, chemical engineers, and pharmaceutical scientists features academic, postdoctoral, and industrial job listings from around the world.
ChemSoc: The Chemistry Societies Network
ChemSoc is an international network of over 30 chemistry societies. The site has job listings in industry and academe, plus useful career advice and links to additional resources.
Cen-chemjobs.org
Formerly known as JobSpectrum.org, this site features job listings for chemists and chemical engineers from Chemical & Engineering News, a weekly magazine published by the American Chemical Society. It also includes a résumé bank, job searching advice, and information about salary and employment trends. Users may sign up to receive job e-mail alerts.Environmental Sciences
Earthworks
A comprehensive, international collection of environmental/earth-science positions in the academic, private, and public sectors.
EE-Link
The North American Association for Environmental Education's jobs database features job openings for environmental educators of all levels. There's also a useful list of links to other employment-related resources.
EnvironmentalCareer.com
Employment opportunities for environmental scientists in and out of academe.
Environmental Career Opportunities
Environmental job openings in academic institutions, companies, nonprofit organizations, and government from Environmental Career Opportunities, a biweekly publication for environmental job seekers. While users may browse some of the ads listed here for free, only paid subscribers may view the complete listings.
Environmental Jobs and Careers
Job listings for academic and nonacademic jobs in the environmental sciences, as well as links to other environmental career resources in government, companies, law firms, and nonprofits.
EPA Employment Information
Job openings at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
National Audubon Society
Vacancies at the National Audubon Society.
National Council for Science and the Environment
Lists nonacademic jobs and graduate assistantships in the environmental sciences.
National Park Service Employment Page
Job opportunities at the National Park Service.
OutdoorEd.com
Employment opportunities for outdoor educators and environmental educators.
The Outdoor JobNet
Job listings for "outdoor industry professionals," including conservationists, environmental educators, adventure-travel professionals, wilderness leaders, etc.
Society of American Foresters
Forestry employment and internship opportunities in the academic, private, and public sectors.
Texas A&M's Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Department
This site features a database of jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities for wildlife biologists, conservationists, and environmental scientists. There's also a great list of links to other employment resources.
USDA Forest Service Jobs
Job openings at the USDA Forest Service.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Job vacancies at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.Life Sciences
Biofind
News about the biotech industry and job listings in biotechnology. The site also features a database of upcoming biotech events, a live-chat area where participants can talk with people in the industry, and a rumor mill where participants may talk anonymously and share gossip about happenings in the biotechnology sector.
BioMed Scientist Jobs
International collection of academic and nonacademic job listings for life scientists from the biweekly newspaper, The Scientist. Registration -- which is free -- is required to view the job listings. The site also has a résumé bank, and users may sign up to receive e-mail notification of new job listings.
Employment Links for the Biomedical Scientist
A comprehensive collection of career-related resources for biomedical scientists -- including links to job opportunities in and out of academe.
Medzilla
Job listings and career-related resources in medicine, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. Users may also post their résumé on the site at no cost.
National Association of Biology Teachers
Job opportunities for biology teachers (in middle schools, high schools, and two- and four-year colleges and universities).
National Cancer Institute
Fellowship, internship, and employment opportunities at the National Cancer Institute.
National Institutes of Health
Job listings, research-training opportunities, and summer internship opportunities at the NIH.Mathematics
ASA JobWeb
The American Statistics Association lists academic and nonacademic job opportunities for statisticians. Access to the job listings is free, but only members may post a résumé and sign up to receive e-mail notification of new jobs.
AT&T Labs Statistics Research
AT&T Labs employs some Ph.D.'s with an expertise in statistics computing and applied probability. See their employment opportunities page for more information.
Be An Actuary
A Web site devoted to actuarial careers.
Math-jobs.com
A collection of global job listings for bankers, computer scientists, mathematicians, statisticians, and teachers, maintained by Dr. Christof J. Luchsinger, a lecturer in the department of mathematics at the University of Basle in Switzerland. The site also has links to mathematics organizations and mathematics and statistics departments around the world, as well as resources on applying for jobs abroad (e.g., links to immigration offices, labor ministries, and visa information).
MSCI Project for Nonacademic Employment
The Mathematical Sciences Career Information Project for Nonacademic Employment is a joint project of the American Mathematical Society, the Mathematical Association of America, and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics and is financed in part by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The site lists real-world applications for various mathematical specialties and data on the educational and employment characteristics of recent graduates working in nonacademic positions. It also has links to articles on nonacademic employment and a bulletin board with profiles of mathematicians in nonacademic careers.
OR/MS Today
Job opportunities in the academic, commercial, and government sectors from the bimonthly magazine of the Institute for Operations Research and Management Science (INFORMS).
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Job listings for math teachers.
National Security Agency
Employs a large number of mathematicians. Check out the NSA's mathematics, computer science, cryptanalysis, and acquisition and business management opportunities sections.
PhDs.org
A comprehensive site for math and science Ph.D.'s created by Geoff Davis, a former Dartmouth College professor, and supported by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. It features listings for jobs both in and out of academe; salary information; advice about graduate school, CV's, and interviewing; background articles about the sciences; resource lists; and online discussions.
RAND Statistics Group Employment Opportunities
Job opportunities for statisticians at RAND Corporation, a nonprofit research institution.
Statistical and Applied Mathematical Sciences Institute
Check out SAMSI's visiting and employment opportunities page. The institute also offers postdoctoral and fellowship opportunities.
SIAM Report on Mathematics in Industry
This report by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics examines the role of mathematics and mathematical scientists in industry. Also check out the job listings from SIAM News, the society's monthly magazine.
U.S. Census Bureau
This agency employs a number of mathematical statisticians and analysts. See the Census Bureau's employment opportunities and postdoctoral research program pages.Physics
AeroIndustryJobs
Employment opportunities in the aerospace, defense, aviation, advanced materials and composites industries. Registered users may also post their résumés on the site.
American Astronomical Society Job Register
Mostly lists academic job openings for astronomers and astrophysicists, but some nonacademic and postdoctoral openings as well. Also see the AAS's Industrial Astronomers Network, which features a list of companies that have hired astronomers.
American Association of Physics Teachers
AAPT's online Science Job Market features jobs for physics educators (in middle schools, high schools, and two- and four-year colleges and universities) in the United States and abroad.
American Institute of Physics
The AIP has an extensive collection of job listings for physicists and astronomers in academe, government, and industry, as well as a résumé bank. Users may sign up to receive job alerts by e-mail.
American Physical Society Job Center
Academic and nonacademic job listings. There's also a résumé bank.
How to Leave Physics
Created in 1997 by Jennifer Hodgdon, a graduate of Cornell University with a Ph.D. in physics, this site provides information on alternative careers; tips on finding potential employers, writing a résumé, and interviewing; a question-and-answer page with Ms. Hodgdon's replies to readers' general questions; and links to other employment resources.
NASA JOBS
Employment opportunities at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Physicsweb Jobs
An international collection of academic and nonacademic job openings from Physics World, the monthly magazine of the Institute of Physics in Europe.
Physlink.com Job Board
Academic and nonacademic job listings for physicists, astronomers, and engineers around the world. Users may also post their CV's on the site.
Space Jobs
Job listings in the aeronautics and space industries.General
Association of Science and Technology Centers
ASCT's Job Bank lists employment opportunities at science centers across the country.
Association for Women in Science
Promotes the advancement of women in scientific careers and lists job opportunities in a variety of scientific fields.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Employment opportunities -- mainly in public health, laboratory science, and epidemiology -- at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
National Academies
Job opportunities at the Institute of Medicine, the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Sciences, and the National Research Council. Also be sure to check out Careers in Science and Engineering, a National Academy of Sciences guide to planning a career in science or engineering. The site has profiles of scientists and engineers, and advice about setting career goals, finding a job, and making career changes.
National Cancer Institute
Fellowship, internship, and employment opportunities at the National Cancer Institute.
National Institutes of Health
Job listings, research-training opportunities, and summer internship opportunities at the NIH.
National Science Teachers Association
The NSTA's Career Center features job listings and career advice for science educators. Free registration is required. Users may also post a résumé on the site at no cost.
Nature Jobs
International collection of job listings for scientists in the private, public, and academic sectors from the weekly British magazine Nature. Job advertisements are indexed by country and subject, and searchable by job title and description. The site also features articles on scientific career-related issues.
New Scientist Jobs
Comprehensive listings of academic and nonacademic jobs in the sciences, from the New Scientist, an international weekly magazine on science and technology.
Next Wave's Directory of Alternative Careers for Scientists
The Web site features links to articles about careers in business, communications, teaching, patent law, and science policy, to name a few. However, the articles may be accessed by subscribers only.
Postdoc Jobs
Academic and nonacademic postdoctoral positions -- mostly in the sciences. The site also features fellowship and scholarship opportunities, advice for job seekers, and a résumé bank.
Science Careers
Job listings from Science, a weekly magazine for scientists. The site also features a CV/résumé bank, profiles of companies that hire scientists, and a job-alerts service.
Scientific Career Transitions Program
Run by the Science & Technology Advisory Board, this program is designed to help scientists and engineers change careers and find jobs. For a fee, the program's career consultants will provide career counseling and assist participants with career planning and job hunting.Career Alternatives for Humanists and Social Scientists
Anthropology/Archaeology
ACRA-L
American Cultural Resources Association discussion forum devoted to cultural resource management. It often lists job openings in CRM.
Anthropology Major Job Resources
List of resources about careers in anthropology and archaeology.
Archaeological Consultants and Consulting Firms
List of archaeological consultants provided by the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office.
ArchaeologyFieldwork.com
Job, internship, fellowship, scholarship, and volunteer opportunities in anthropology, archaeology, architectural history, historic preservation, and museums. There's also an international list of cultural resource management firms and a discussion list. Users may post their résumé on the site at no cost. A great resource!
Aviso Employment Resources Online
Job listings from Aviso, the monthly newsletter of the American Association of Museums.
Job-Digger
This site -- created by Joshua Wells, a doctoral student at Indiana University -- lists job opportunities for archaeologists.
National Association of State Archaeologists
A directory of state archaeologists.
The Outdoor JobNet
Job listings for "outdoor industry professionals," including conservationists, environmental educators, adventure-travel professionals, wilderness leaders, etc.
Shovelbums.org
Employment and volunteer opportunities in archaeology and cultural resource management. There's also a list of international archaeology, CRM, and preservation companies.
Southwestern Archaeology Job Opportunities
Paid and volunteer openings for archaeologists, plus links to other resources.
Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association
State association of underwater archaeological surveyors.Art History
ArtCareer.net
Job vacancies in the visual arts. Users may post a résumé at no cost.
ArtJobOnline
A national database of job, internship, and fellowship opportunities in the arts. A one-year subscription costs $75.
About Art History
Job, fellowship, and internship announcements in art history from about.com.
Association for Art History
The AAH's positions available page lists employment and fellowship opportunities in museums and academic institutions.
Career Alternatives for Art Historians
This site, created by Charles M. Rosenberg, a professor of art history at the University of Notre Dame, has information on alternative careers for art historians.
New York Foundation for the Arts
NYFA's Jobs in the Arts page lists job vacancies and internship opportunities in the arts.
Resources in Art History for Graduate Students
An electronic newsletter that features information about grants, fellowships, internships, and study-abroad opportunities for graduate students in art history.Economics
Economics Research Network
International collection of academic and nonacademic job listings for economists.
JOE (Job Openings For Economists)
A site sponsored by the American Economics Association and the economics department at the University of Texas at Austin, JOE provides extensive listings of job vacancies at colleges and universities in the United States and abroad, and at corporations, foundations, and other nonacademic organizations. JOE is published every month but January and July.
Inomics Job Openings for Economists
International version of JOE. Inomics lists job openings in European academic institutions, government, and industry. There's also an excellent list of links to other economics resources.
International Monetary Fund
A major recruiter of economists.
World Bank
Another major employer of economists.For more information on other nonacademic jobs for economists, see the sections on mathematics, management consulting, finance, government jobs, institutes and think tanks, and industry research.
English
ACCUTE Careerlinks
This site by the Association of Canadian College and University Teachers of English focuses on Canadian academics and includes information about nonacademic careers.
Career Resources for English Students
A long list of links from the University of Western Ontario's department of English.
National Council of Teachers of English
Job listings for English teachers at all school levels.
Sellout
Mark Johnson, a Boston University English Ph.D. who works in the software industry, didn't "sell out"; he got out. Since December 1998, he's been using his Web site to help frustrated Ph.D.'s explore other career options. His site features a variety of resources and practical guidance on careers in technical writing and software, as well as articles on leaving the academy.For more information on other nonacademic job opportunities for graduates in English, see the sections on nonprofit jobs, public relations, teaching, writing & editing, management consulting, government jobs, and industry research.
Linguistics
Linguistic Enterprises
Created by the Ph.D. program in linguistics of the Graduate School at the City University of New York, this site was designed for linguists who seek nonacademic employment.
The Linguist List
Academic and nonacademic job openings for linguists.Philosophy
ePhilosopher.com
Offers a section devoted to nonacademic jobs for philosophers.Psychology
American Psychological Association
Job openings in and out of academe from the Monitor on Psychology, the monthly magazine of the APA. Announcements are arranged by state.
JobsinPsychology.com
News, advice, and thousands of employment opportunities for therapists, psychologists, and mental-health professionals. Free registration is required. There's also a résumé bank.
National Association of School Psychologists Career Center
Job openings for school psychologists.
Non-Academic Careers for Scientific Psychologists
Lists nonacademic career options for psychologists and has profiles of psychologists who've found fulfilling work in nontraditional settings.
Psychwatch.com
Academic and nonacademic job openings for mental-health professionals.
The Pursuing Psychology Career Page
Created by the department of psychology at the University of Northern Iowa, this site contains a variety of links to resources on careers in psychology.
Social Psychology Network's Online Psychology Career Center
A useful collection of links.
Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology
SIOP's JobNet lists job opportunities for IO psychologists in the academic, private, and public sectors.General
Beyond Academe
This site, designed to "educate historians about opportunities for historians" outside of academe, offers tips about finding a nonacademic job and profiles of historians who've made the leap.
H-Grad
Run by the Humanities OnLine initiative (H-Net), this site offers humanities and social-sciences graduate students a forum for discussing issues related to graduate school, teaching, research, and job searching.
Humanities at Work
This portion of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation's Web site is dedicated to extending the career prospects of doctoral students in the humanities. The site features information about awards, grants, and postdoctoral fellowships for humanities Ph.D.'s, and links to other resources on nonacademic careers. The foundation also has an online mentoring program, which gives Ph.D.'s an opportunity to talk with role models who've made the jump from academe.
Journeyman: Getting Into and Out of Academe
This online essay, by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, a history-of-science Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, explains how to make the transition from academe to the outside world and still be a successful scholar.Pretty impressive list, isn’t it?! Have fun exploring all the other aspects of the "Jobs" section of www.chronicle.com and let me know your favorites. All the best during the lazy-hazy days in August --
Jane M. Lommel, Ph.D.
jlommel@WorkforceAssociates.com
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