Looking for a job can be very frustrating - especially when it comes to the resume black hole: San Diegans submit their applications online, and hear nothing after the automated confirmation email.
But that's where Terrance Bowens comes in. His entire job is to teach people how to find jobs. He does it for free several times a month at Career Centers across the county -- and his lecture slides are even online -- including how to negotiate a higher salary and how to market yourself.
His method to help San Diegans find 'hidden' jobs could get them hired.
"They aren't hidden because (employers) don't want us to know," Bowens said. "They only seem hidden because we're looking in different places."
He has a keen way to fish them out - using a somewhat obscure search tool on the state Employment Development Department's website.
This is how it works:
The website, updated through June, searches employers who have hired for the job you're looking for. It has every employer that currently has, or has had, that job title.
For example, type in "Medical Assistant," and all sorts of workplace types come up - like outpatient care centers, dentists offices, and nursing care facilities - many that are small and unheard of.
Bowens chose on nursing care facilities, and a list of 127 came up. He then clicked on Apreva Hospice in Mission Valley. It has a contact and a link back to its site, which has three current openings.
Bowens then went on Indeed.com and searched for Apreva. Only one job came up.
"An employer, instead of putting an ad on Indeed, might just put the posting on their website," Bowens said.
In other words, it's not just who you know, but where, and how you look.
