Let's face it: job hunting is the worst. It's a process that can make even the most confident of applicants feel alienated and voiceless—lost in a sea of unanswered cover letters and out-of-date job postings. Sites like Craigslist, Monster, Indeed, and Idealist tend to be the go-to for finding out who's hiring, but get ready for a secret weapon that will change the game: FACEBOOK. That's right. Your favorite procrastination destination can also be a significant resource for finding prime positions as soon as they open up. LinkedIn isn't the only social medium for job hunting now: Facebook groups are becoming seriously useful ways for employers to crowd source candidates and job seekers to hear about the latest and greatest. The benefits? Not only are you able to connect in real time with hiring managers and recruiters, but the posts will automatically show up in your personal Facebook feed, making the job hunt process that much easier.
Behold, a list of top Facebook groups that will open the doors to some cash money:
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For the Activist
Group Name: Justice Jobs
Status: Public
Oh, how I love thee, Justice Jobs! With nearly 11,000 members and counting, Justice Jobs is a fantastic resource for anyone looking to work in the realm of social justice and change-making. This can span from non-profit work to political organizing, media, small businesses, and more — what listings all have in common is mission-driven work with an activist bent. What's great about Justice Jobs is that the community is incredibly robust — you can comment on posts and ask for suggestions, and the person who posted the listing (usually an employee of the company or a recruiter) is likely to answer any questions you might have! Look here for fellowships, internships, full-time, part-time, and temp jobs. They have everything.
For the (Freelance) Scribe
Group Name: Binders Full of Writing Jobs
Status: Private/Closed
A sprawling community of over 9,000 members, Binders is a trusted resource for women and gender non-conforming writers of all backgrounds. Once an administrator accepts your request to join, you're privy to an endless shared conversation with gigs, calls-for-entry, salaried positions, and more in any genre of the written word you can imagine: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, ghost writing, grant writing, freelance writing, copy editing...the list goes on! The community is highly responsive and extremely supportive, and there are dozens of sister groups aimed at more specific writerly identities (Binders Full of Full-Time Freelancers, Binders Full of Writers of Color, etc.) Plus, keep an eye out for the massively popular annual Binders convention IRL.
For the Tweeter Extraordinaire
Group Name: Social Media Jobs
Status: Private/Closed
With more than 42,000 members, Social Media Jobs is one of the biggest job hunting communities on Facebook (which makes sense, really, since it's all about positions in social media itself). Here, you'll find opportunities to run Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Tumblr accounts for all sorts of companies and organizations. Locations vary from remote to stationary in major cities across the country.
These three are just a few examples of the many Facebook job communities out there. Look up similar groups for your city or industry and you're likely to find a whole digital collective of like-minded folks who will help make the struggle feel a little more real (in a good way).