Chances are good that someone in your immediate family will experience job loss in the next twelve months. When large employers like GM, Aetna and Boeing are laying off droves of workers, with orders being cancelled and small businesses forced to close, most if not all households will be affected by unemployment. In a faltering economy, if you are out of work or even looking for a different job, you cannot count on just one method to find your ideal position.



1. Get your resume in good order. Make sure it is grammatically perfect and up to date with all the most recent job information, training and educational attainments. Keep the resume format very simple and straightforward and do not misrepresent yourself in any way.

2. Purchase an appropriate interview outfit including tasteful, well cared for shoes, clean, crisp shirt and suit or dress. Tone down jewelry, nails and make up and cover up any tattoos. You need to be well groomed as a prerequisite to consideration for any good job.

3. Do your research. Go to the library or peruse Internet lists of companies and decide where you want to focus your job search. Send a letter to the CEO or the HR director and tell them you are interested in pursuing a career with them and you are willing to wait for an appropriate opening to occur. Offer to meet for coffee with a company representative as an informational session and follow up as needed.

4. Start a full mail solicitation. See my eHow article, "How to Find a Job Through Email Solicitation" for specifics on how to accomplish this. By spreading out your efforts using different media and approaches, you are exponentially increasing your opportunities to get noticed by the right people.

5. Focus your Internet search on career-specific websites instead of the big guys like Monster. Employers who advertise on these big sites get inundated with resumes from qualified applicants, thus reducing your chances of getting noticed. If you do respond to an email job listing, always follow up with a hard copy or fax and a phone call.

6. Use your telephone skills to find a job through cold call networking. For each unsuccessful call you make, you can, at the very least, ask for a referral to another company and can get the manager's name and can use one company manager as a referral source to another. This technique is best for people who are extroverted and can talk to strangers without shyness or nervousness. However, that being said, the more you do this, the better at it you will become.

7. Work closely with the HR department at the company you want to work for. Call and try to set up an informational meeting with the HR manager even before the job is available to get an "in." Be persistent but not obnoxious in your follow-through. Recruiters are another way to get you into the company. Find out who the company uses for professional recruitment and send them your resume.

8. Volunteer for the organization you ultimately want to work for. Newspapers, hospitals and non-profits are great places to obtain volunteer work. Once you are in the door, you can inquire about paying positions and get on the inside track.