Searching for a job? Look to Job Angels

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Job Angels, or jobangels.com, was born when Deirdre Honner's friend lost her job.

"And I put out on Twitter, my girlfriend lost her job, who can help? And within about 10 minutes, eight people had already responded," said Honner, now the chief connection officer for Job Angels.

The Twitter post sparked an idea, to help others in similar situations. From there, Job Angels was born, a nonprofit Web site designed to assist the unemployed with their job searches.

"We help facilitate a large number of volunteers, who, for no charge, will evaluate a resume and cover letters, help connect with people they know in a particular industry ... will coach people through interviews and thank-you letters," Honner said.

It's for the people slugging their way through the unemployment lines, because job searching has morphed with social networking, she said.

"The third and largest component of job seeking is social media networking," Honner added. "Through LinkedIn, through Facebook and now through Twitter."

Honner, who also works in human resources at Calvin College, responds to direct messages or questions, along with several other volunteers.

Volunteers and contacts are scattered throughout the country, even internationally, but the co-founders are based in Grand Rapids, along with Austin, Texas; Chicago and Washington, D.C.

"I know of three people I personally helped, I think we've literally helped hundreds, maybe thousands," Honner said. "We don't track."

There are no guarantees to finding a job, especially with Michigan's dismal economic forecast, she said. But it is one more step in the right direction toward conquering social networks.

"Ninety-nine percent of what we hear is ... 'I can't believe people would help perfect strangers,' Honner said. "And it's not just me. So many people are doing this, because it's the right thing to do right now."