As a subscriber to the Indianapolis Business Journal, today I received my 2009 edition of the annual IBJ Book of Lists.  The book (more like a magazine, really) is exactly what the title indicates, page after page of lists of Indianapolis-area companies sortedby industry, size, growth rate, etc.  It’s not exactly leisure reading, but it is, in my humble opinion, the most undervalued and underutilized job search resource for students and young professionals looking for local job and internship opportunities.

While it’s easy to hop onto Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com and submit your resume to hundreds of jobs, it is a serious understatement to write that finding quality positions is a challenge.  Particularly in a slowing economy, you need to be a proactive job seeker – and this is where the Book of Lists comes into play.  Along with basic information about each company (industry, revenue, # of employees, primary services, major clients, and more), you’ll find a link to each company’s website, where many organizations, lacking the time and staff to sort through hundreds of Monster-generated resumes, will post open positions to which you can apply directly.  Even if there are no open positions listed, you can learn more about the company and find contact information for you to begin setting up informational interviews. 

Alongside lists such as the Top 25 Fastest-Growing Indianapolis-Area Private Companies and the Top 25 Largest Indianapolis-Area Firms by Industry (Logistics, Public Relations, Accounting, etc.), you’ll find information on professional organizations you should consider joining, non-profits, and graduate programs.  I recommend getting your hands on a copy as soon as possible, which you can do one of 4 ways:

1. Subscribe to the IBJ and you’ll receive a copy as part of your subscription (my #1 recommendation) as well as 24/7 access to the interactive online edition
2. Order a paper copy through the IBJ website
3. Buy a copy at Northside News, or Delaware News, or any local Borders or Barnes & Noble bookstore
4. Download digital versions of individual lists (which can add up fast)

If you’d like some tip and tricks on getting the most from your copy, come see me and I’ll happily walk you through some strategies.