In the olden days, if you were looking for a job in Newcastle, you had to wait until Thursday night to find one.
Because that's when the job hunters' bible, the Evening Chronicle job section, was published. 800 jobs across 12 pages. And you'd have to read each advert to see if the job was right for you.
Nowadays, you can search for a new job anywhere and any time you like.
Sites like Indeed have made it easy to type your needs into a search site and find hundreds of suitable roles.
But where can you go when Indeed doesn't come up with the goods? If you're sick of job ads that are a month old? Or advertised through a recruitment agency that never replies?
Here's my round-up of the top online sites to find a new job in the North East of England.
1. NorthEastJobs
This site advertises public sector jobs in the North East. It covers almost all Council jobs, including: schools and colleges; sports centres; social work; arts and culture...even the fire brigade.
With an easy-to-use browse and search function, it is a great place to search for all kinds of jobs: from admin and IT, to marketing and management; from teaching and tutoring, to emergency services.
Some Councils aren't represented at the time of writing - Gateshead for example - but most are here.
2. VONNE Jobs
VONNE stands for Voluntary Organisations Network North East. It represents over a thousand charities, voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises across the region.
If you're looking for jobs in the charity or not-for-profit sector, their weekly jobs round-up is a gold mine of worthwhile opportunities. They also have a Twitter feed that posts jobs as-and-when they arise.
3. NHS Jobs
The NHS is an employer that has opportunities in every region. Whether you want to be a nurse working directly with patients or admin staff helping it all run smoothly, you'll find every NHS job advertised online.
You can narrow down the search by region, city or postcode, so it is easy to find jobs near you. What better way to make a living than helping people as part of our amazing National Health Service?
4. North East Universities
Universities continue to offer some of the best paid and most stable jobs in the North East. And we're blessed with a wide range of high performing Higher Ed providers to choose from.
All of the major North East universities have their own career pages, seeking to secure the best academic expertise and administrative staff available.
Newcastle University, Northumbria University, Durham University, University of Sunderland and Teesside University are all accessible options.
If you can't face trawling through all the sites (naming no names, some are pretty behind the times), visit the national HE jobs site and search by region. They have a frustratingly broad definition of North East but it is a fast way to see all the region's HE jobs in one place.
5. Recruitment agencies
Love 'em or hate 'em, recruitment agencies are great at what they do.
If you need a new job fast - or are looking for something specialist - let them do the leg work.
There are too many to list; this is just a reminder to include them in your job hunt. It might be the best thing you do.
You'll need an up-to-date CV to register with most recruitment agencies. Check out my post on how to write a CV if yours needs some work.
6. LinkedIn
If you haven't succumbed to LinkedIn yet, now is the time.
It might seem like an almighty snoozefest full of braggers and bullshit merchants. And sometimes it is. But it is getting better.
If you can brave the waters, the opportunities for job seekers and career changers are huge. So set up a free profile and get schmoozing and searching today.
Check out my blog posts on why LinkedIn is great for job seekers and how to use LinkedIn to find a new job.
Looking for a job in Newcastle or the North East of England? Check out my top six job sites for Geordie job hunters.
Need help writing a standout CV? Email hello@writeontyne.com
About the author
Libby is a freelance copywriter and content marketer from Newcastle-upon-Tyne. She worked in marketing and communications for 18 years before turning freelance in 2019. She's written for big brands and boutique businesses, crafting customer-friendly marketing content for print and online. She also writes outstanding CVs under the name Standout CVs. Find out more at www.facebook.com/standoutcvs