Q: Hi Jennifer, I’ve been trying my hardest to find a job since my arrival and so far the best things that have come my way were shoveling a few driveways and helping a couple of college guys move a pool table. I was hoping you might have a few pointers for a young ambitious guy who really enjoys this neat little town. Once again, thanks for doing what you do!
–Charles Ozment
A: Welcome to Missoula, Charles!
The good news is that Missoula is “poised to enjoy the recovery,” having weathered the worst of the recession, according to Mayor John Engen in his State of the City address last week.
So you’re ready to contribute to Missoula’s improving economy, but where is an industrious job seeker to start? Check out our Employment Resources and Job Hunting Tips for an overview. In addition to online job lists, we’ve included links to help you start networking and volunteering, great ways to make connections and get the scoop on un-advertised job opportunities.
Missoula Job Service
One of Missoula’s primary job resources is the Job Service. Check out my video interview with Wolf Ametsbichler, manager, and Cassie Strauss, Workforce Consultant. The Missoula Job Service has an online job board with all variety of job types:
University of Montana
One of Missoula’s top employers is the UofM, which has its own job board as well:
Classifieds
Follow the classifieds at the Missoulian, the Independent, craigslist, and Indeed.com, to name just a few.
Temp Agencies
There are several Temp Agencies in the area, including Nelson Personnel, Work Force Inc., and LC Staffing. Temporary work can bring you much needed pay during your job search, but might also lead to long term employment. In fact, waaaaaay back when I was a snowboard instructor I was injured and took temporary work through an agency, which led me into a several year career in project management.
Target Companies
Research companies in your field and follow them in the news and online. Look for opportunities to network, volunteer, or apply.
Well, Charles, this overview should get you started in your Missoula job hunt. I hope you’ll keep us posted on how it goes. Here’s to your success!
Fellow Missoulians, do you have other job search suggestions you’d like to share? Please post them in the comments section or email them to Jennifer@makeitmissoula.com. We’d love to hear from you! Back to Work It blog homepage.
****************
Jennifer Shryock is a resume writer and interview coach with Rainmaker Resumes. Her blog features Missoula job hunting tips, covering everything from the employer perspective to networking ideas to interview-winning resumes to keeping your sense of humor, whether you’re working or working to find work. For answers, send your work related questions to Jennifer@rainmakerresume.com. Make her blog a regular part of your job search.