This post was originally written in 2021 to feature the best career resources of 2021. It was updated: June 2022 to reflect the best career resources of 2022!
A major part of any successful job search is knowing what tools and resources to leverage in order to land interviews and offers. Without the right career tools and job search resources, your job search may take twice as long! However finding those resources can sometimes be the most time-consuming part of the job search. There are tons of career websites out there – which makes identifying the best career resources, a challenge. In this blog post I will share my top picks for career resources so you can save time, money, and effort in your quest to land your dream job!
Disclaimer: Some of these resources were created in-house to fill a job searcher need because they didn’t yet exist! We happen to think they are top notch and worth the recommendation!
1. Best One-Stop-Shop for Finding Job Search Support & Resources
If you’re on the hunt for a one-stop shop with all of the necessary job search resources, check out the Job Search Accelerator. The Accelerator community is a “one-stop-shop” for everything you need to support a strong job search. Starting at less than $40 per month, this career-focused community provides access to all of top career coaching experts and resources you could possibly imagine. Membership includes a FREE expert resume review, optimized resume and cover letter templates, networking scripts and templates, LinkedIn optimization courses, interview answer scripts and more – everything you need to feel confident, navigate the job search successfully, and put your best foot forward as an applicant. It also includes access to a private LinkedIn support and networking group of like-minded job searchers!
The best part is: you have everything you need to dominate your job search. It’s all in one place and even the most frugal job searcher can afford the low monthly rate. In exchange you will receive HUGE value that will serve your entire career! Click here to learn more and to hear member reviews.
2. Best Resource for Finding and Keeping Track of Your Networking Contacts
LinkedIn is great for nearly every aspect of the job search. However there is one feature that I recommend above all others: the archives download feature. It’s EXTREMELY useful but totally underutilized by nearly ever job searcher I encounter. The LinkedIn archives feature allows you to download all of your contacts (and their titles, companies) into an easily digestible spreadsheet. Talk about an easy way to stay organized and quickly skim your network for high-value contacts! If you’re someone with LinkedIn connections in the hundreds, you know how difficult it is to keep tabs on everyone’s whereabouts. There’s no easy way to know when someone’s changed companies or roles when you’re managing a rolodex that huge. Instead of visiting individual profiles every so many months, simply download the data archives once a quarter. This will help you identify key networking contacts to support your career goals. To access the data archives, simply go to “Settings & Privacy”-> “Get a Copy of Your Data” and select the options for how you’d like to receive your file.
3. Best Job Board for Getting In Front of Recruiters & Employers
There are tons of job boards out there but ZipRecruiter is quickly becoming my favorite. One of the reasons I LOVE this job board is that it is super focused on making the hiring process a breeze for recruiters. What does this mean for you? It means that if you’re a close match for the job, your application will quickly get pushed in front of the recruiter in charge of hiring. I have yet to see another job board take this kind of focused approach. With other job boards you’re never quite sure where that resume will end up. With ZipRecruiter, you are getting to the right person quick!
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4. Best Resources for Figuring Out Your Career Path
While free tools are great, sometimes it takes a financial investment to achieve big career breakthroughs. Clarity Coaching is one investment that may be completely worthwhile if you’re feeling super confused and starting to feel your confidence drop. The reason I love Clarity Coaching is that instead of just guessing where to go next with your career, you’re using tried and true assessments to add more of a scientific approach to the process. For example by taking the Clifton’s StrengthFinder assessment you can view your career fit through the lens of your strengths. By uncovering just this piece of the many pieces that make up you, you may experience a huge boost in confidence. The MBTI assessment also offers big benefits when it comes to seeking a job promotion.
Clarity Coaching clients have also been able to more accurately understand the exact direction of where to take their careers. This is just one example of how Clarity Coaching and assessments can benefit your job search. There are tons of assessments out there and this means there are tons of ways to slice and dice the data around you! The best way to get a good sense of fit is to schedule a FREE Clarity Coaching consult and see what he/she recommends based on your career scenario.
5. Best Resource for Job Search Structure, Scheduling, & Staying Organized
Staying organized and on track is half the battle when it comes to the job search. That’s why a rock-solid schedule and organizational tools are key for staying focused in the job search. One place that offers all of this is the Job Search Accelerator “Organize” module. Included in this module are key tools to help you stay in control of your day-to-day and weekly job search activities. Tools include:
- Weekly Accountability Action Plan – a downloadable weekly planner with 19 different job search activities to guide your daily and weekly focus. The planner allows you to jot down the amount of hours banked on each activity. Talk about a great accountability tool to guide your search from week to week!
- Daily Job Search Planner – Do you ever wonder EXACTLY what you should be doing each day of your job search? This was the reason the Daily Job Search Planner was created. It gives you a schedule of key activities for each day of the week to ensure you are maximizing each and every day. For example, do you know the best day to search for jobs or send applications? This schedule has you covered!
- Job Application Tracker – The perfect tool for keeping track of each and every job application you send.
- Networking Roadmap and Recruiter Tracker – Networking is the #1 way to land a job but are you dropping the ball on your networking? Are you missing out on critical follow up opportunities? This roadmap and tracker will help you stay on top of each and every networking lead.
6. Best Job Board for Remote, Work from Home, and Flexible Job Opportunities
With the 2020 pandemic forcing most people into remote work environments, 2021 brought an increase in demand for remote work opportunities. This is where FlexJobs job board comes into play. FlexJobs boasts “27,261 of the highest quality remote, work from home, and flexible jobs in 50+ career categories.” Not bad for a place to start your remote job search!
7. Best Resource for Creating a Strong LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn branding can be a total nightmare. You are putting yourself out there for all of your colleagues, recruiters, and hiring managers to see! Creating a strong LinkedIn profile is key for advancing in your job search and career. Oh – and don’t forget, you have to reinvent your brand with every move! This is where some additional LinkedIn learning can be incredibly valuable. One of the easiest ways to do this is by taking a LinkedIn profile writing online course and watching how the experts write. Based on years of LinkedIn profile instruction, I designed a LinkedIn writing course that will speak to all your pain points. I have yet to see one that parallels this so that’s why I’m naming it my top LinkedIn profile writing and branding resource.