Where to Find a Job in Sacramento, California

It's hard to find a job, especially in this bleak economy. California, and Sacramento in particular, were hit hard by the recession. But, it is still possible to find a job in Sacramento - if you know where to look. Some of these places to search may seem obvious, but they're easy to overlook.

#1 Place to Find a Sacramento Job - Craigslist

Many people avoid Craigslist for fear of scams. But, Craigslist recently started charging for listings in Sacramento, making it much less likely a listing is a scam. I used Craigslist to find my last two jobs, and it's the first place I looked when needing to find a new employee. Conducting a search on Craigslist does take patience - be sure to go through each category that you might be remotely qualified for, and go back through at least a week's worth of listings.

#2 Place to Find a Sacramento Job - Government Listings

Many state offices are located in and around Sacramento - these are great places to search. The government has been forced to cut hours and staff, but you can still find government jobs. You can search in listings by the state, city, or county. There are also many nearby counties and cities with jobs available; Yolo County may sound far, but it's only a 15 minute drive down I-5 from Downtown Sacramento.

#3 Place to Find a Sacramento Job - The Newspaper

Using the newspaper for a job search is a no-brainer, but in Sacramento you don't even need to buy the newspaper. The Sacramento Bee's online job listing service is popular with employers, and easy to navigate. Sacramento Bee job listings often lack the level of detail of Craigslist listings, so you'll likely do a bit more leg-work, but it's worth it. Also, take a peek at the Woodland Daily Democrat, the Davis Enterprise, and other regional newspapers - they may be further away, but smaller towns also tend to have less competition.

#4 Place to Find a Sacramento Job - Staffing Agencies

Many major Sacramento area employers hire permanent people through staffing agencies. Some staffing agencies specialize in certain industries - the right staffing agency will help you find the right job. As you look through Craigslist and newspaper listings, take note of the staffing agencies with jobs posted in your industry. Then, contact that company to introduce yourself. They may not have your job right now, but if they find one that matches you, they'll call you.

#5 Place to Find a Sacramento Job - Universities and Trade Schools

Sacramento is home to a California State University Campus, several junior colleges, and an abundance of trade schools. Whether you're an engineer, a chef, or a certified paralegal, there is a school in Sacramento that can help you. Many schools have online job listings, or you can visit campus for a physical job board. And if you happen to be an alumni, be sure to take advantage of any career placement services provided by the school.

#6 Place to Find a Sacramento Job - Monster

Monster.com is a great place to search for a job. The only problem is that it's not used by many employers, because their job listings are expensive - so there aren't many jobs to search in. Many employers prefer to use cheaper job listing options, like Craigslist, but there are still a lot of jobs to find on Monster.

#7 Place to Find a Sacramento Job - Trade and Professional Associations

Many people don't get involved in trade or professional associations, but they can be a great asset in a job search. Trade associations know whose hiring, when they're hiring, and how to get hired. For example, the Sacramento Valley Paralegal Association routinely receives job listings from members' firms, and forwards them to all of the Association's members. A quick Google search should reveal any trade or professional association appropriate for your skills.

A successful job search is hard, and Sacramento is no exception. But, you will find a job looking everywhere you can.

Have you had to search for a job in Sacramento? Where did you find it?