Great Job Search YouTube Channels
Private career coaching may be useful, but it can also be costly. With typical prices for a personal job strategist starting around $100 per hour, this useful skill may be out of budget for many people, including those unemployed and living in states that have discontinued the additional funds. In this situation, what should someone who needs help do?
Two of my colleagues from JVS (jvs.org) and I have been discussing starting a YouTube channel, offering three perspectives on the various elements that job search entails. Having the three perspectives (one works in 4 year private college, the other for a technology bootcamp, and I specialize in mid-career job search and career transition) would be our differentiator, as many of the YouTube channels I’ve found are single creators. Our channel isn’t live yet, so if you are on the hunt for a career coach but can’t afford it (costs or schedule), please consider some of the channels I’ve discovered on YouTube that I found useful and current.
Jeff Su (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwAnu01qlnVg1Ai2AbtTMaA)
Based in China, Jeff Su works in Marketing at Google, and produces high energy videos with job search tips (mixed with spotlights and best practices using Google products). Jeff is someone who truly loves job search and helping people and this comes through in his videos and his persona. What I like about Jeff is that he seems to go the extra mile: his video on cover letters (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUhDP30IRKk) includes a template that he created and provides in the links. He has a video about creating a LinkedIn profile photo and it includes the free online tools he’s found to do things like remove a background or add graphics using a free Canva account.
Your Best Designed Career (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOw0-OPLk8d6zy5VvN-SPdA)
Jeri is an interesting choice because she specializes in the hiring of CPA’s and comptrollers, but what I enjoy about this channel’s videos is that it shows us that the fundamentals of job search are consistent across various industries. Although it’s been about a year since Jeri has released a new video, I like her calm delivery and obvious knowledge of the subjects she talks about.
Life After Layoff (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk52qSNJjjo9ftWT4LKrsZA)
Bryan Creely is a Tennessee-based technology recruiter and that’s the perspective that he delivers on his channel. I like that he’s talking to job seekers that are navigating their life and choices after layoffs. By providing the important viewpoint into how a recruiter works and thinks and how they view job seekers, it gives us that important insight so we make sure we’re providing the answers and information they need.
Career Success (https://www.youtube.com/c/CareerSuccess/videos)
Jennifer Tardy brings the energy and a perspective for the over-40 job seekers. I relate to her channel and its content the most because the audience that Jennifer is targeting is closest to the clients that I work with the most. She also addresses the job search needs of marginalized communities like people of color and LGBT. Like most of the other channels, Jennifer’s content has evolved over time and improved and is a joy to watch.
These four channels have different target audiences and tips, but a lot of the best practices they share do run consistently throughout. Some of their videos have links available to resources and templates, available for free, which are great. The beauty of YouTube is that the users can access and view these at any hour, a huge benefit if you’re not available to meet with a career coach or attend a free webinar during typical working hours.
The obvious difference between using a YouTube channel or a career coach may be the ability to get your specific question answered or that your individual needs may not be met. A career coach can help you draft an actual resume or offer useful criticism on a mock interview and participate in the work and the motivation of job search. There may be an opportunity to get a lot of your job search needs and questions to be initially addressed on YouTube with these talented creators, and then meet with your career coach equipped with a deeper knowledge of what specific questions you have that need to be answered.
I’ll continue discovering new talent and will share the new ones I recommend in a future post. Until next time — Colin
