Get Off the Computer and Get Out There!

job

Image by dickuhne via Flickr

Looking for a job can be frustrating, discouraging, stressful and even depressing. Although the job market is slowly but surely improving as we are finally pulling through the recession, it’s still a tough world out there for those seeking work.

Don’t give up! The key to success in your job search may just be retooling the manner in which you apply yourself. If you’ve spent countless hours drafting cover letters and sending out resumes to all the jobs you see posted on the Internet, then maybe you should scrap this technique and try a different approach. As in all other aspects of life, if you what you have been doing isn’t working, then change it.

The fact of the matter is that for every job that you see posted on a job board online somewhere, there are probably hundreds of others applying for that same job. In a matter of minutes after the job is posted and you apply, you become just another faceless resume lost in the stack.

Big time Internet job boards are not always the best resource for finding jobs, either. Only 10%-20% of the jobs out there are actually advertised. The rest of the jobs are filled by people who know how to network and therefore already have an in with the company. Some career sites are much better than others, but it’s definitely best to steer clear of the huge ones like Monster or CareerBuilder. They are flooded with jobs that have already been filled, false postings and scammers.

If you don’t already know countless people in charge out in the professional world of business, don’t think that you don’t have a chance. You just need to network. Put the word out there that you are currently seeking work. Everybody is aware of the condition of the job market, and most people will be happy to help in any way they can.

There are some great resources for networking on the Internet. If you don’t have a Facebook account, where have you been for the past five years? Seriously, social networks can be a fantastic resource for meeting new people and advertising what you do.

If you have one hundred friends on Facebook, you can easily let them all know that you are looking for a job in such-and-such a field in a matter of seconds.

Another solid resource for networking online is LinkedIn, the social network for professionals. Here, you can upload your resume, provide details about your employment history and get connected with other like-minded people in the business world. There are also countless groups in every field that discuss work-related subjects and post new jobs daily.

So if you have been plugging away for months with no luck at all, do not be discouraged. Simply change the way you are looking for work. If applying for jobs that are already advertised has not been working for you, then start advertising yourself.

 

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