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With the current global recession, finding a job has never been more difficult. As the job market shrinks, competition between prospective employees has become fierce. If you want to land the perfect occupation, you need more than just a bit of good luck. Employment experts agree that there are certain steps that make finding a job that much easier.

1.) Have a Plan: Searching through the classified ads or browsing the internet job sites each day is not a plan. When you are looking for employment, you need to treat your job search as if it were a job itself. You should devote a specific amount of time each day to job-related activities. In addition to actually looking for job notices, time should be spent revising your CV, improving your skills and evaluating the type of employment you want and need. There are numerous resources available both on the internet and at the library that can help job seekers create a personalized plan of attack for their job search.

2.) Engage Your Social Networking Sites: Whether you’re a member of LinkedIn or have created your own MySpace, now is the time to put those social networking platforms to good use. Let everyone and anyone know that you are on the hunt for a job. You never know who will be in a position to offer you a lead or connect you with a decision maker. While LinkedIn is specifically intended for professionals to network with one another, don’t overlook the usefulness of Twitter, Facebook and any of the other social media options available today.

3.) Get New Skills: If you’ve been downsized from a shrinking industry such as manufacturing, your chances of finding a job in the same field are probably shrinking as well. Carefully consider your options and determine whether it might be time to upgrade your skills or move into a new industry. Depending on your location, some government agencies may offer free career counseling and even pick up the tab for the cost of training programs.

4.) Expand Your Job Hunt: Don’t limit yourself to just one means of finding a job. Instead of focusing solely on classified ads or the internet, diversify your searches. Many jobs are not listed in the classified ads while internet job sites can become a dumping ground of stale, out-dated listings. Send out letters to companies that interest you, even if they don’t appear to be hiring at the moment. Pick up the phone and make networking calls to old colleagues and friends. Attend job fairs and mixers held by local universities or business groups. There are no definitive methods to finding a job; you need to use all your options if you want to be successful.

5.) Stay Positive: The reality is that you will be on the receiving end of a lot of rejection before you find that perfect job. Perhaps the most important trait of successful job hunters is that they do not give up. Whether they are on their 5th application or their 50th, they always believe that their new job is right around the corner.

Finding a job takes tenacity and commitment. You have to believe that your perfect job is out their just waiting for you to discover it. The current employment statistics may be grim, but there is no reason to despair. Despite what the news media would have us believe, many businesses are still growing and hiring. However, you must be prepared with a good plan and constant follow-up to set yourself apart from the rest of the pack. These simple secrets can bring you that much closer to finding a job of your dreams.

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This entry was posted on Friday, April 30th, 2010 at 9:14 am and is filed under Career, Job Search. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.