Best Job Search Resources for New Bedford Residents

Michael Silvia
by Michael Silvia

A man willing to work, and unable to find work, is perhaps the saddest sight that fortune’s inequality exhibits under this sun.  ~Thomas Carlyle

There’s no doubt that it can be hard to find a job in today’s tough economic conditions. If you live in New Bedford, it’s even tougher to find a job than in the rest of the state of Massachusetts. According to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, as of January 2012, the New Bedford unemployment rate stood at 14.3%. This means 6,208 of the 43,556 people in the New Bedford labor force are looking for work. The Massachusets unemployment rate stands at 7.7%, which means New Bedford’s unemployment rate is twice the the state average.

The key to getting a job in this tough, competitive environment is to know where to look. Simply looking in the Standard Times or randomly filling out job applications is not enough. Here is a list of resources for anyone looking for work in the New Bedford area or throughout the state.

1. The New Bedford Guide Jobs Portal/Map – Our jobs portal adds 500-1,000 jobs daily and allows you search jobs on a map. Jobs are posted within 50 miles of New Bedford: http://www.newbedfordguide.com/map-page#pm_jobs_tab.

New Bedford Job Search2. The City of New Bedford Job Board – The City of New Bedford’s website provides a list of city jobs. There are typically a dozen or more jobs available at any time. It is no secret that city government jobs pay well and provide great benefits like medical, life insurance, a retirement pension plan, paid vacations, holidays, sick and personal days. If you are a New Bedford resident start here.

3. New Directions Southcoast New Bedford Job Listing – Located in New Bedford, New Directions is a non-profit that not only provides job listings, they provide assistance and training for job seekers. From their website, “New Directions Southcoast, Inc. is the 501(C)3 non-profit corporation that operates the federally funded One Stop Career Centers in New Bedford and Wareham Massachusetts. We provide workforce development and training services for job seekers and employers throughout southeastern Massachusetts. Our professional staff works side by side with State job specialists to ensure our customers are afforded the individual assistance they need to meet their employment and training goals.”

4. TopUSAJobs.com New Bedford Search – Last I looked (March 21st, 2012), the New Bedford search on this website resulted in 14,396 jobs within 50 miles or 2,781 jobs within 25 miles of New Bedford, MA.

5. The Standard Times – South Coast Job Mart – The Standard Times provides a job search tool that job seekers can search by job title and region. You can also use their advanced search tool to narrow down your search. Last I looked (March 21st, 2012), there were 775 jobs listed in their database.

6. Monster.com, New Bedford Search – There were over 1,000 jobs listed on Monster.com within 20 miles of New Bedford.

7. southcoast.craigslist.org – I’ve heard of people getting jobs through Craigslist, but I’d recommend it as a last resort. While there may be tons of valid jobs listed, Craigslist is know for having lots of scams. I’ve found Craig’s List to be useful in hiring short-term, temporary jobs. If that’s what you are looking for, search through the jobs section of the southcoast.craigslist.org portion of craigslist.org.

The key to finding a good job is to leave no rock unturned. Hopefully, this list provides a valuable resource in your job search. If you know of a good resource that i should add to this list post a reply. If you find a job due to this article, I drink coffee and I’m available for a “thank you coffee” anytime.

It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose your own.  ~Harry S Truman