The GIS job search… it can be a time consuming and frustrating task. You have probably been to the major job search sites and have checked out the different GIS portals. While you should check these on a regular basis, often times many of the local government jobs do not show up on these services. This is where GovScan can come to the rescue. Using the GovScan local government search engine, one can search by location and find those “nuggets” of potential jobs that others may not ever see. As stated in an earlier post, there are definitely some tricks to sifting through the data to find the “real” GIS jobs. Below are our top tips in finding your next GIS job.

1. Using the GovScan search, choose the state of your choice and enter in the following phrases, one at a time (GIS job, GIS position, GIS analyst, GIS opening, GIS openings)
2. Consider contacting a local government with limited GIS operations and ask if they would be interested in using your services. Often they have budget available for small contract projects, or if not, a short internship may lead to a full-time job down the road.
3. Don’t think that local governments only use GIS in planning and engineering. GIS is cropping up everywhere and is being used in places never before thought of. Don’t be afraid to speak to other city or county departments such as economic development, fire, or police. Use the GovScan search tool to find interesting projects in your area.
4. Let technology do the job seeking for you. If you are not yet familiar with RSS and setting up web alerts you are missing out. Consider a Bloglines or Google reader account to view RSS subscriptions or set up Google web or Indeed job search alerts for GIS job search terms.
5. Join and participate on LinkedIn, the professional social networking site. LinkedIn gives you the ability to build a network of contacts that allow you to seek and be seen when looking for a GIS job.
6. Contact the GIS software provider of your choice (ESRI, MapInfo…) and tap their knowledge of the GIS job market. Many of the GIS providers host open houses and events for the GIS community- a great way to market your GIS skills.

Have a tip of your own? Post it in the comments.