Whether you're a Hawaii resident or looking to move to Hawaii, here are 5 simple steps that can help you open the door to a new job opportunity.
1. Tap into your relationships. Hawaii is a small place and a lot of times it's really all about who you know. Don't be embarrassed to ask or let people know that you're exploring the job market. It happens so often... your neighbor's co-worker has a son working at a company looking to hire... your wife's yoga instructor just so happens to be married to an HR recruiter... these scenarios are not uncommon here in Hawaii so it would only benefit you to tap into these opportunities that your relationship with others can bring.
2. Link up to LinkedIn. Your personal network may only take you so far. Signing up for an account on LinkedIn and expanding your professional contacts can bring you much value when entering the job market. First, you're accessing an immense database of professionals that you don't get from Twitter or Facebook. Second, if you work for a specific industry, LinkedIn can help you communicate and network with that specific audience. As an added bonus, you can even start conversations with those in a specific geographic location. Lastly, LinkedIn is also a great way to be found by employers looking for potential job candidates. So be sure to adopt a LION (Linked In Open Networker) strategy and open your doors to networking with those whom you may have never met before.
3. Connect with a recruitment & staffing firm. The larger ones like ALTRES represent hundreds of local businesses and often times these businesses will have jobs only available through the staffing firm. Agencies like this give you access to Hawaii's "hidden job market." They also specialize in an area that you're not so be sure to listen and learn from these experts. It would also benefit you to sign up for any type of mailing list they may offer so that you get job updates and opportunities that match your criteria.
4. Go Direct. If you're interested in a specific company or trade it doesn't hurt to go directly to them to see if they're hiring. Want to work for First Hawaiian Bank? Check out their website. Thinking about being a fireman? Look into taking the firemen's test. If you have certain companies in mind that you'd like to work for, you should always check to see if they have any job openings.
5. Job Sites. The common thing to do for many jobs seekers is to check out a job aggregator website. It may be easily accessible but be wary about the credibility of those that you put your trust into. I've seen many suspicious "jobs" on sites like Craigslist where anyone has access to post material. Hit up credible sites like Real Jobs Hawaii, which have affiliations with reputable partners like KITV. You'll know the jobs coming through are legitimate and have been screened before being posted.