FINDING A JOB IN ASHEVILLE, NC

80% of jobs available are found in the "hidden market" . . .

As in every location, most [80%] of the available job openings are found in the "hidden market." This means that the best way to access these jobs is through networking. This is especially true in the Asheville area where most of the available job openings are in the services and retail industries [see the Asheville Chamber of Commerce’s website for more detailed information on Asheville’s economic status].

To access the kind of employment most suitable for you in Asheville it is important to consider the following.

FOLLOW these 3 steps to secure employment in the Asheville area:

1. What Do You Want To Do? & Where Do You Want To Do It?

2. Prepare your resume/cover letter(s) and your interviewing skills.

3. Network and make contact with employers.

FIRST

What Do You Want To Do? & Where Do You Want To Do It?

The answers to these two questions are the keys to helping you make your job search productive and manageable.

In considering what you want to do:

Consider the Job Family.	Example=Social Work
Consider the Work Environment.	Example=Non-Profit Agency
Consider the Occupational Title.	Example=Case Worker

Job Families

As you think about "what you want to do and where you want to do it" keep in mind the following sample employment families in Asheville:

Advertising	Banking	Communcations	Fashion
Education	Economics	Health Care	Hospitality
Human Services	Insurance	Law	Politics
Real Estate	Public Admin.	Telecommunications	Travel

Helpful resource ~ The Chamber of Commerce's Employer Directory. . .

Review the listing of employers who are members of the Asheville Chamber of Commerce to see the kinds of employers located in Asheville. The listing is available in the Chamber’s Employer Directory. The Asheville Chamber of Commerce also posts Asheville Area Jobs.

Visit the Employment Security Commission for North Carolina. . .

Another good resource for statewide economic information and employment listings is the North Carolina Employment Security Commission.

Review Asheville Citizen-Times Newspaper Classified Ads

The largest newspaper serving the Asheville area is the Citizen-Times.

Contact Staffing and Employment Agencies in the WNC area

Inexperienced as well as experienced workers may benefit from the help of a third party agency during their job search. Check out these staffing agencies which are listed as Asheville Chamber members.

Bookmark these helpful job search websites:

UNCA Career Center Job Search Assistance Website
Websites Related to UNCA Majors
AshevilleUSA.com
AshevilleJobs.com
GetTheJob.com

 Also consider different Work Settings:

Business/Industry

Banks/Financial Organizations	Insurance Companies
Merchandising	Manufacturers
Public Utilities	Transportation Firms

Government

Federal - USAJobs

State - NC Office of State Personnel

County / Municipal - City of Asheville ~ Buncombe County

Non-Profit

Examples:

Social Services	Health Services	Cultural	Professional Assns
Elder care	Hospitals	Museums	NASW

Check out this on-line listing of Asheville non-profit organizations or search the United Way database for non-profit organizations.

Education

Public and Private Schools

• Asheville City School System
• Buncombe County School System
• Information on Asheville Public Schools
• Information on Asheville Private Schools

The following websites not only help you with securing employment they can also help you if you are going to school and are trying to decide on a program of study…

Community Colleges

• Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

Colleges and Universities

• University of North Carolina Asheville - NC's public liberal arts university
• UNC Asheville Technical and Paraprofessional, Clerical and Secretarial, Skilled Crafts, Service / Maintenance Positions
• UNCA Asheville Executive Administrative and Managerial, and Professional Positions
• Warren Wilson College - private liberal arts college

Nearby Community Colleges:

• Blue Ridge Community College
• Haywood Community College

Nearby Colleges and Universities:

• Brevard College - Christian liberal arts college affiliated with the Methodist church
• Mars Hill College - Private liberal arts college
• Montreat College - Christian liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian church
• Western Carolina University - Public university with undergraduate and graduate programs

NOTE: If you are deciding on a program of study or will be returning to school, any of the above college/university websites will link you to further information that may assist you in choosing the correct college/program of study for you.

SECOND STEP

Prepare your resume/cover letter(s) and your interviewing skills.

Services available for free include:

Services available for Students & Alumni

Don't forget the resources available to the community for free at UNCA’s Career Center (ph 828/251-6515).

For more information on any of our resources contact the UNCA Career Center at:
828-251-6515 or email us at career@unca.edu

The Mountain Area JobLink Career Center at: The Maple Building on AB-Tech’s campus. Call 828-250-4761 for more information. They provide Career Planning, Training & Placement Services. Click here for a job seekers handout prepared by JobLink Career Center.

THIRD STEP

NETWORK and EMPLOYER CONTACT

Once you've decided on what you want to do and where you'd consider doing it through identifying employers in the area that may provide those kinds of opportunities, your next steps are to:

1. Directly contact employers

AND

2. Begin your networking strategies

A typical employer will approach his or her hiring needs in the following order:

1^st She will hire within - the employer would rather hire someone who's work performance she is familiar with first.

2^nd He will use his current employees as a resource for outside contacts ["does anyone know anyone who may be suitable for this opening?"]

3^rd She will consider those who directly contact her by mail, by email, by phone or in person.

4^th The very last method an employer will use to hire someone will be by placing an ad with someone.

Someone searching for employment will typically search employment listings FIRST which is the LAST method employers use. What does this mean for you? Think like an employer and begin with networking and directly contacting employers. The following are some strategies to help you in networking and directly contacting employers:

To directly contact an employer, try to find the name of the person with the hiring power. This could be either the Human Resources Director, in some cases, or the Supervising manager for the position you are seeking to fill. Complete a resume and cover letter that is catered to that particular employer. Contact the employers directly either in person [armed with your resume and interview skills] or through mail [by sending your resume with a cover letter]. Follow up with a phone call and keep a record of the employers you've sent your resume to.

To network, first tell anyone and everyone you know what kind of job you are looking for.

Next, find someone in the Asheville area who has the same or a similar job title to the one you are actually looking for. Contact them for an informational interview. Informational interviews are an ideal method for networking, perhaps getting your "foot in the door," getting the "inside scoop" on what is available in the area, and/or how to go about finding employment in your chosen field, etc.

If you are a degreed job-seeker, contact your alma mater to find out if there are alumni in the Asheville area with whom you might network

TO EXPAND YOUR SEARCH WITHIN ONE HOUR DRIVING DISTANCE OF ASHEVILLE

• Greenville/Spartanburg, SC
• Brevard/Hendersonville, NC
• Johnson City, TN
• Hickory, NC

We hope the above information is helpful to you in securing employment in the Asheville area. For further information visit the Career Center website. Our website has many useful links to help you with your career decision-making and job searching.

Good Luck!

This guide is provided to you by the UNCA Career Center

Director: Eileen Buecher

Career Counselor: Katherine McGee

Career Counselor/Internship Coordinator: Holly Waltemyer

Office Manager: Lara Courtais

Originally Created by: Elisa Rudd, M.S., Ed.S., N.C.C.

Updated 8/1/06