The Wall Street Journal
The Journal publishes a daily paper in regional editions. The help-wanted advertising you see in your edition of the Journal will largely concern companies in your region. Most of the ads are display ads. The Tuesday paper carries the largest number of ads. Most of the positions advertised are managerial or executive.
National Business Employment Weekly
This is a Sunday paper of help-wanted advertising gleaned from the regional daily editions of the Wall Street Journal. Again, the positions advertised usually call for higher education and in-depth experience. Therefore, the positions advertised are almost all managerial or executive. You can find the National Business Employment Weekly in pharmacies or bookstores that carry a large variety of newspapers.
Other Newspapers
Consult Gale's Directory of Newspapers, Magazines, and Broadcast Media for further listings. Many newspapers have websites as well. You can call or search online for their addresses.
Trade Journals
Trade journals are magazines devoted to specific industries, trades, or professions. They carry news of developments within these areas, and such news can be used as background information by prospectors. Trade journals are also another means of acquiring contact information for companies and people. A few trade journals will carry help-wanted advertising. You will also find position wanted ads placed by job seekers such as yourself. Very few jobs are landed via such ads. To locate trade journals in your area consult The Serials Directory, Ebsco Publishing, or Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory, R. R. Bowker, publisher.
The Yellow Pages
As you know, the Yellow Pages are alphabetized according to subject or service: Abrasive Blasting Machines, Abrasive Cutting, etc. Turn to subject(s) pertaining to your job search. Write down the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the companies or businesses listed under this heading(s). Companies that "couldn't possibly be of any help" could develop into "hot" leads. Interviewing with a company you don't really care if you work for or not is wonderful practice for the "real thing."
Encyclopedia of Associations
Practically all businesses and professions have associations representing their members and their interests. The Encyclopedia of Associations lists these associations.
The Directory of Directories
The Directory of Directories is another invaluable reference book for job seekers. It lists hundreds of directories for all types of businesses, industries, and interests. Many of these directories are relatively inexpensive, while others are not quite as affordable. If you can't find what you're looking for, give your reference information to a librarian and he or she will check to see if they have the magazines or issues you need. Here is a sample listing:
The Reader's Guide to Business Periodicals
This is an ongoing series of publications showing where to look in a wide assortment of business magazines for articles pertaining to a particular topic or topics. Look for this publication on microfiche and also as a database.
Once you discover which magazines contain articles about your interest area, jot down the names and dates of the periodicals and head for the magazine racks. If you can't find what you're looking for, give your reference information to the librarian, and he or she will check to see if they have the magazines or issues you need. Incidentally, if the library you're working in doesn't have what you need, they can usually tell you what library does have it. Sometimes they belong to interlibrary lending co-ops and can get the book you want from a co-op member. Of course, this does not pertain to reference books.
State Manufacturing Directories
Looking for a position in a manufacturing company? A manufacturing directory is a great place for leads. Manufacturing directories are published individually by state, with a few available for specific regions. They don't all use the same format, but generally they contain: the company name, its products, address, telephone number, and the names of the company executives or top-level managers.
Some directories will also provide information about the size of the facility, when it was established, the annual sales, and the number of male and female employees. Naturally, you want to use the latest edition when developing job leads. Some directories list each employer three ways:
- Geographically
- Alphabetically: by city and/or town within the state, by employer name
- Products and Specialties Even though you may be referring to the latest edition of a directory, do not assume that the information is current. Call to verify the correct contact.
Dun & Bradstreet's Billion Dollar & Million Dollar Directories
Standard & Poor's Register of Corporations
These are three of the most widely used of all prospecting reference books. They contain contact information for thousands of top-ranked companies selected according to their net worth. These corporations cover a wide spectrum: industrial, utilities, banks, trusts, insurance, retailers, and wholesalers.
Newsletters
There is a newsletter published for practically every subject and topic. They are a good source of leads and background information. One place to look to see what is available is the Oxbridge Directory of Newsletters. This directory contains information for over 17,500 publications and is published by Oxbridge Communications, Inc.
Annual Reports
If a company is publicly held, look at its annual report. If your library doesn't carry these reports, simply contact the company or a stockbroker and ask to have one mailed to you. In addition to financial statements for the year, most reports name the top-level executives, what products and/or services they deal in, where their facilities are located, and their plans for the future. Just remember, you're reading the company line.
