Being a blue collar worker is how millions of Americans prefer to make a living. Not only do you get to work with your hands and lead an active life, but the wage gains among blue collar workers are also on the rise. There are a ton of different options for blue-collar work, many of which are in-demand right now.
While the jobs themselves can be physically demanding (and being safe is crucially important), if you can handle that, they are a great option to make good money and have an interesting job. But how can you find these jobs? Well if that is something you’re curious about, you’ve come to the right placer. This article is going to go over some useful pieces of advice for finding a blue collar job in 2022.
Know Where to Look
First and foremost, you need to know where to look. The jobs are out there, but finding them can not always be as straightforward as you would like. In many cases, it almost always makes sense to look at online job boards first. Whether you find an open position with Workclass, or another board, these are constantly updated and refreshed with new openings.
Check them daily, and see what new blue collar openings are available in your area. Also, checking out social media and even watching for signs in front of businesses or on work sites can also be a good idea. Reaching out to a company directly and seeing if they have any openings has proven successful for some, too.
Ask Friends, Family, and Acquaintances
Oftentimes, our own relationships are among the best ways to find new work. If possible, ask your network of friends and family members if they know of any blue collar positions. This is especially helpful if one of them is in a field that you are interested in.
This personal relationship can be a great “in” for you, and make it more likely that you will get hired than someone that a company has no connection to, in many cases. If you don’t have any close friends or family in the industry, consider reaching out to acquaintances you might have on Facebook. While this search may not be fruitful, a ton of people have gotten jobs based on the recommendation of another person, so it is certainly an option to consider.
Build a Presence Online
Having an online presence of some kind is all but required for many job seekers today. Almost all employers in all industries are online and use it to learn more about potential candidates. While this might not seem like something that could be helpful for blue collar work, it certainly can be.
This is especially true if your particular type of blue collar interest is visual in nature. If you are a carpenter, sculptor, welder, or landscaper, having a social media account or online portfolio where you post the work you’ve done can help you get noticed by a company, or you can even begin offering your services as a contractor.
Of course, while social media and having an online presence can help people, it can also hurt them. If your posting history is questionable and/or inappropriate, it is best to remove those types of posts before searching for a job, as they will often easily be discovered by companies as they look to learn more about you.
In conclusion, these tips and pieces of advice will be able to help you find a blue collar job in 2022.