The work force is growing weary of commuting long distances to make it into the office. The rise of work-from-home jobs is proof of that.
Contrary to popular belief, a good job doesn’t always have to come with a long commute. As you’ll soon see, with a little research, you may be able to find jobs hiring near you.
How to Find Jobs Hiring Near You
In this article, we’re going to show you some great ways to find jobs close to where you live.
But first, we have to tackle the elephant on the resume, and that’s the fact that many people turn down good jobs just because of the time it takes to get there.
“There are numerous reasons why people will turn down jobs that are not within a certain distance of their residence,” career consultant Ian Houston of True-Liif Inc. in Atlanta tells Clark.com. “From issues regarding transportation to family obligations such as picking a child up from school, people consider a lot of factors when choosing a job.”
So when considering if the distance to and from a job is worth it, you’ll need to count the costs associated with some major things in your life like:
- Extended child care
- Transportation costs
- Monetary needs
When it comes to the pros and cons of a long daily commute, Houston says, “It really depends on each situation.”
Here are some ways to find jobs hiring near you:
1. Do an ‘Advanced Search’ on a Jobs Website
Major job sites allow you to do an “Advanced search” to zero in on the mile radius you want to include in your search for employment.
The way to do that is to turn your location settings on or input your address. Typically you’ll be able to toggle the job radius setting to within 5, 10, 25 miles and more.
Here are the advanced job search pages for a few major jobs sites:
- CareerBuilder: Look for the Include Jobs Within section.
- Monster.com: On the search results page, click on the “Filter” button and select the Radius dropdown menu.
- Indeed.com: Scroll down to the Where and When section and you’ll see Location settings.
2. Search Neighborhood Sites
Looking at posts on local neighborhood websites like Nextdoor.com may hold the keys to your next job.
Because the site is specifically geared toward neighborhoods, their job postings could have just what you need. You can also try community boards and city-specific subreddits on Reddit.com to find jobs online.
3. Check With Your State Office of Employment
Local job resources may be available on the websites of your state office of employment. In addition to jobs, you also may be able to find workshops, job fairs and other resources to help you.
As a bonus, not only will these sites typically list the latest jobs, but they’ll often have a list of employers as well. You can use this list to reach out to companies close to where you live.
4. Check Church Bulletin Boards
Your local place of worship may post job opportunities near where you live.
Many churches will post help-wanted signs on their bulletin boards or even online. The advantage here is that you may well know the job poster and be able to get hired much easier because of that.
5. Join Social Media Groups
LinkedIn.com is a great resource to network with people near and far. Remember to completely fill out your profile. This can really help your positioning in search results when your network looks for people like you.
You can also join Facebook groups based on geographical location rather than interests. Many times these group members will list job postings in the area and it might be for a role that matches your qualifications.
6. Network Close to Home
Go to the places in your area and meet people who work at companies nearby. A local bar or restaurant could be the perfect place to get to know your future co-workers.
It’s also a good idea to always ask if help is wanted at places you visit frequently.
If you regularly go to the grocery store, bank, credit union or corner market, ask if they’re hiring. The benefit of this is that there’s a good chance they may already be familiar with you because you do business there on a regular basis.
Conclusion
Houston says the issue of finding a job close to home is less about distance and more about resources, development and capital investment.
Of course, if you live in a rural area or in a small town, your opportunities may be limited, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find employment.
More companies are offering remote positions than ever before. Start by checking out this list.
