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Job Search Handbook


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                             5 — Respond to Classified Advertisements

                       Companies place advertisements in major newspapers and
                    trade journals in their recruiting efforts. However, only 10 to 15
                    percent of positions available are advertised. The other 85 to 90
                    percent of jobs are unadvertised and are filled by personal/direct
                    contacts.

                       When advertising, there are two types of company paid ads:
                    "open" and "blind." An "open" ad lists the qualifications an
                    individual employer is looking for and what they are prepared to
                    offer the right candidate. It also includes the name and address of
                    that company (and sometimes even the particular person to whom
                    you should write and send your résumé). The advantage of an
                    "open" ad is that it affords you the opportunity of researching the
                    company thoroughly, and making discreet inquiries about the job
                    itself through knowledgeable personal contacts. This, in turn, can
                    help you considerably in writing the cover letter that will
                    accompany your résumé and in crafting your letter and résumé as
                    closely as possible to the company's requirements.

                       "Blind" ads do not include the name of the company; instead,
                    responses to them are forwarded by means of a newspaper box
                    number that appears at the end of each advertisement. Such
                    advertisements make your task more difficult because you really are
                    not able to customize the letter you send to the company.
                    Furthermore, there is very strong likelihood that receipt of your
                    letter may not even be acknowledged.

                       Where to Look for Advertisements. Classified sections of
                    your local papers, weekend newspapers, National Business
                    Employment Weekly, advertising services that can be found at a
                    local library, and trade and professional journals.

                       National and International Newspapers:

                           The Chicago Tribune
                           The Financial Times
                           The Los Angeles Times
                           The National Business Employment Weekly (NBEW)
                           The New York Times
                           The Wall Street Journal



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