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How we used to get jobs: A newspaper classifieds story

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Re: How we used to get jobs: A newspaper classifieds story

#13
post #6

Not only jobs, but NYC apartments - although in the Voice not the Times.

As someone who lived in NYC for a while circa 1999 the process at the time as I recall it was using a newspaper classified ad to find a broker to find an apartment. The vast majority of actual apartment listings were all gatekept within the broker system making hiring a broker (with an insane fee) effectively mandatory for actually finding a place to live in a reasonable timeframe.

What about the obituary?

Re: How we used to get jobs: A newspaper classifieds story

#14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who lived in NYC for a while circa 1999 the process at the time as I recall it was using a newspaper classified ad to find a broker to find an apartment. The vast majority of actual apartment listings were all gatekept within the broker system making hiring a broker (with an insane fee) effectively mandatory for actually finding a place to live in a reasonable timeframe.

What about the obituary?

[dead]

Re: How we used to get jobs: A newspaper classifieds story

#15
post #6

Not only jobs, but NYC apartments - although in the Voice not the Times.

As someone who lived in NYC for a while circa 1999 the process at the time as I recall it was using a newspaper classified ad to find a broker to find an apartment. The vast majority of actual apartment listings were all gatekept within the broker system making hiring a broker (with an insane fee) effectively mandatory for actually finding a place to live in a reasonable timeframe.

Brokers still gatekeep the best inventory in NYC for the most part.

Every craigslist apartment I ever found was sketchy as hell.

Re: How we used to get jobs: A newspaper classifieds story

#16
post #12

Idk if it's true but it seems like life was simpler before the Internet took off. Now that guy is probably competing with tons of people more talented willing to work for less

Used to flip both ways...

I.e. for a time, it became easier for talented people to find a better role.

In the last 5-10 years though, between the race to the bottom and AI/Bot spam (even ignoring the overall decrease in job availability) things frankly suck.

Re: How we used to get jobs: A newspaper classifieds story

#17
Another tidbit, based upon finding out which company the phone number belonged to: you could go to the library and access business directories. Think the yellow pages, only they were geared towards businesses rather than towards consumers. Print versions were broken down by industry, but electronic ones (on CD-ROM) were searchable. It was also a tool for looking for unadvertised jobs, since those directories seemed to be geared towards making cold calls (albeit, for people doing sales).

Re: How we used to get jobs: A newspaper classifieds story

#18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who lived in NYC for a while circa 1999 the process at the time as I recall it was using a newspaper classified ad to find a broker to find an apartment. The vast majority of actual apartment listings were all gatekept within the broker system making hiring a broker (with an insane fee) effectively mandatory for actually finding a place to live in a reasonable timeframe.

Brokers still gatekeep the best inventory in NYC for the most part. Every craigslist apartment I ever found was sketchy as hell.

Every Craigslist apartment listing I've ever seen turned out to be through a broker as well.

Re: How we used to get jobs: A newspaper classifieds story

#19
post #12

Idk if it's true but it seems like life was simpler before the Internet took off. Now that guy is probably competing with tons of people more talented willing to work for less

Simplicity and convenience are often inversely correlated.

Life was for sure simpler in times gone by, but that doesn't necessarily mean it was better. Definitely different.

I'm sure future posters will look back on these years with fondness for this or that as well.

Re: How we used to get jobs: A newspaper classifieds story

#20
post #5

Looking straight into the eyes, strong handshake, exuding confidence?

This but after going inside the building without authorization and saying you will not leave without a job.

I encountered one corporation where you walked up to security, told them you were there to look for work, and they directed you to an office that contained posting of currently available positions. As far as I know, they didn't advertise job openings anywhere else. If you weren't willing to drop by their offices, they weren't interested in considering you.

Of course, talking to anyone about a job within the building was an entirely different matter.

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