Two in Three Job Seekers Find Work Via Contacts and Web Sites

Miami, July 29 - If you want a job, get out and meet people. But use the Internet, as well. A June poll by Hispanic job board LatPro (www.LatPro.com) and the National Society of Hispanic Professionals (www.NSHP.org) found that about two in three job seekers got their jobs through networking or employment Web sites. The survey, whose results are posted on the National Society’s Web site (NSHP.org), is the first of a monthly series that will examine job seeker behavior. It comes as the economy and employment market have taken an encouraging turn. But the improved job picture has left some unemployed workers in a quandary: how best to find their next position.

Of nearly 100 job seekers who responded to the LatPro-NSHP study, 38% said they’d found work through personal contacts, while 26% said the Internet was their pipeline to a position. Job boards are an increasingly important method of seeking employment because they give job seekers access to huge volumes of information quickly.

But, the survey highlights that personal touch is still an effective way of tracking down opportunities. “Job boards have changed the way people look for work but smart job seekers know not to rely on them exclusively,” said Eric Shannon, the founder of LatPro and a keen observer of hiring trends. “It’s often daily interaction with people that produces great job leads.”

A surprising 18% of people in the poll attained employment by starting their own business while just 13% of respondents found work through newspaper ads. That underlines the sea change in job seeker behavior away from print resources, which once dominated the job search market.

Shannon said the main advantage of niche job boards, smaller, industry-, regional- or profession- specific Web sites is their ability to provide job seekers with easily accessible, targeted information. Recruiters like using these sites because they are assured of a focused audience.

LatPro’s CEO offered the following tips about networking:

Networking is the art of building alliances. It starts well before you enter the job market and requires persistence and organization. Companies that don’t have a position one month may produce a flood of openings the next. So stay in touch with people. Keep a phone log, so you know when you owe someone a call. Ask sources for other people to contact and remember the Internet – it’s a powerful networking tool.
Get involved with Professional Associations in your industry. These associations are in steady communication with companies and know where job openings occur before anyone else on the outside. They can also help you increase your list of contacts and learn about special networking events, annual conferences and awards ceremonies that bring hiring managers together.
Attend special events. Granted the finger food and wine may not be gourmet caliber. But if you stay home, you risk missing out on networking opportunities. Have business cards and a stack of resumes ready to hand out. And don’t be a wallflower, introduce yourself around or find someone to handle the formalities.

About LatPro
Established in 1997, LatPro is the leading source for Spanish/English and Portuguese/English bilingual professionals in the Americas. LatPro’s commitment to the Hispanic professional community has made it both the largest Hispanic employment Web site and the largest diversity Web site in the United States. For additional information, call 954.727.3846.

About The National Society for Hispanic Professionals, Inc. (NSHP)
The National Society for Hispanic Professionals (www.nshp.org) is the leading Hispanic non-profit professional networking association for Hispanic professionals in the United States. At NSHP’s website, Hispanic Professionals can find online forums by occupation where they can network with industry peers as well as forums by location where they can get in touch with professionals in their city. NSHP currently has over 7,100 members.