Three Places to Spot Job Leads

With all the "gloom and doom" in the headlines, it's easy to think every corner of the U.S. job market--from Main Street to Wall Street--has been negatively affected by this economy. But, that's not quite true. This morning, the local paper in my hometown of Columbia, South Carolina featured stories of two potential "winners" who expect to see positive growth: Kohls and Delta Airlines (post-merger).

If you're feeling frustrated, here are three sites to look at:

1. Linkup.com
LinkUp is an aggregator of position listings from company websites. It's a great place to find out about opportunities that might not be interested on other job boards. (In my former life as a recruiter, I paid to post positions on Monster.com--it's not cheap!)

Many thanks to GL Hoffman, author of the blog What Would Dad Say and recently published book, Dig Your Job, for this lead.

2. Jiibe

I learned about this Canadian gem when Greg Scott, company founder, began following me on Twitter. Here is a description of the site--straight from the corporate website:

Jiibe is a user-powered online service that helps people make better decisions for a happier life.

First we help you understand what sort of workplace you need to be happy.

Then we point you to companies that match based on the real-life experiences of other members.

I look forward to learning more about the site, but in the interim--sounds worth checking out!

3. PastRecessions.com

As you might guess from the name of my blog, my favorite word is context. PastRecessions.com provides information on past recessions, and is a good reminder that the economy has suffered downturns--and recovered in the past as well. Resist the temptation to personalize the economy--mass layoffs and hiring freezes at some companies does not equal no opportunities elsewhere (or that you won't be hired by a particular company at a later date).

Keep the faith, and please share your successes!