Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Chapter 1 ∣ Career Opportunities 11 Finding Job Openings Technology has opened countless opportunities for job seekers and made our world much smaller, but old-fashioned person-to-person interaction still plays a major role in network- ing and landing a job. The best plan for success as a job seeker in the automotive industry is to use as many resources as possible. Employment Agencies Start with your local state employment agency or job service. Most of these agencies keep records of job openings, usually throughout the state, and can connect to a data bank of nationwide job openings. Some private employment agencies specialize in automotive placement. If there is an agency of this type in your area, arrange for an interview with one of their recruiters. The Internet One of the best and most convenient ways to find jobs is by using the Internet. You can use a search engine to search for open positions, and many employment websites offer tips for job hunting. Websites specializing in job searches post jobs daily in countless different career fields and are invaluable tools for your job hunt. Automotive forum websites provide a sounding board for technician’s discussion topics and offer a place for shop owners to find talent, Figure 1-13. Other job websites focus strictly on automotive industry job open- ings and can be set up to notify you when a new job is posted. Networking Networking is the exchange of information among individuals or groups. In the past, net- working with individuals in a specific career field meant a handshake introduction and face-to-face conversations. Today, the Internet’s numerous social media websites allow you Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 1-13. The International Automotive Technicians Network (iATN) is a website dedicated to automotive technicians. In addition to its technical service forums and other features, an auto careers section of the website functions as an online job market for auto technician employers and job seekers.