Survey: How did you get your job?

Layoffs are among us, even tech giant Google is apparently dicing off a significant portion of their workforce, more layoffs will come over the next year. For those that got laid off (or those that are worried about it, which is most) understanding the skills needed to land that next gig are crucial.

One of my goals in this new year is to help support the community around me. As a result, I’m launching a survey to find out how people recently got their job, in an effort to understand the skills, ways to find jobs, and other tips from those that have landed jobs.

Please take this survey then share it with others, I will make all of the data public (except names and emails) and will discuss the findings on a site I’ve dedicated to help folks get employed. Thanks to RWW for spreading the word on this survey. Bryan Person helps to read the word too.

Do note, I’m doing this outside of my day job, this is simply my way of giving back to the community. Please spread the word on this in order to help others.

Tweet this:
Take the survey: How did you get your job? http://snipurl.com/9n5ph

45 Replies to “Survey: How did you get your job?”

  1. Jeremiah,

    I couldn’t believe that “non-profit” wasn’t in the drop down menu for Industry.

  3. Interesting. I can’t actually click on the survey link from Google Reader (it says I don’t have permission) but it works fine if I click via your website. Just thought you might want the heads up, Jeremiah.

  8. I blogged. I analyzed a local social network for professionals. The product manager of the competitor read it and liked it, we became friends. He’s helping me get a job in his former company as a Business Analyst. The CEO of the company reads my blog too. But I haven’t got the job offer yet (they’re interested, the hiring process is long, not because I suck :P)

  10. Great idea and way to give back, Jeremiah– any chance you could add PR/Communications as a category under Industry? Advertising is missing, too, or did I do the missing on all?

  11. I recently dug up an article I wrote on theserverside.com back in 2001 titled “A J2EE Developers Perspective on Surviving the Job Crunch”, which was well received and got more than 700 replies (this was before blogs, or YPN/Adsense :-$ ) Anyways lots of stuff I wrote in surviving Tech Bubble 1.0 still applies to surviving Global Meltdown Bubble 2.0. So hopefully this will help those who are searching: http://genechuang.blogspot.com/2008/12/2008-meet-2001.html

  15. great idea. what about those people who have decided to start their own company? surely there must be a number of people who feel this is as good a time as any to try their hand at their own ideas?

    it would be good to compare that stat to the number who looked for new work and got it.

    thanks!

  16. I was neither looking for work nor out of a job when I found my current position, and I’m probably not the only one in that situation.

    Also, I found my job by volunteering first.

    Just some thoughts for future adjustment to questions.

  17. The best advice I can give is to promote yourself as much as possible whether employed or not. You NEED to be on LinkedIn. You NEED to have a website with your relevant info. You NEED promotional business cards. Everyone should know what you do and how you do it. Also, I think blogging about topics relevant to your industry can help brand you as an authority & give you lots of positive google karma.

  20. Thank you for remembering and trying to help the people who have been hit hard.

    Pat O’Mahony, Dallas, Tx. USA

  22. I’m surprised the list of methods doesn’t include mailing lists, which were my primary sources of job listings. I found that if I was already on the mailing list because I was interested in its topic, the jobs posted were probably good fits for me – much better signal to noise ratio than Craigslist, which was my second-most-important source.

    Looking forward to the data, especially people’s advice for staying current and what skills are needed now.

  28. Excellent idea!

    I’ve been collecting similar data for a few years, focusing on the method used, and whether or not the person was an active or passive job seeker when they landed the new job.

    Would be happy to share what I have so far (rolling window of 24-months of data based on face-to-face interviews and, recently, LinkedIn responses). Not much detail on the job landed (not salary or job title).

  29. Thanks Jeremiah-
    I and two others in our Marketing department were laid off this year, just before the company closed it’s doors.
    I was on Twitter ASAP & had a job offer before I left the parking lot. I blogged & Twittered my job hunting experience for 3 weeks & it paid off.
    The two others in my department are now working independently & constantly have work coming in due to their relationships created on Twitter.
    Thanks again.
    -jen

  30. Jeremiah,

    We just went through a large layoff last Thursday, so your survey will be helpful to many hard-working people! Any way to e-mail the survey or post an alternative form of it? (our firewall blocks it) Thanks!

  32. It will be interesting to see how (if) the connectivity of the digital age accelerates us out of the economic downturn caused by the credit crunch.

    Initiatives like this should help empower people in the new digital knowledge economy – well done Jeremiah..

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  44. Great topic and direction in a job search!With the current market being flooded with jobseekers,companies are implementing stricter criteria for selection. This article gave some great tips for creating a reference list.

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