According to current Department of Labor statistics, today's college graduates will, on average, have 8 to 10 jobs and as many as 3 careers in their lifetime. In addition, in today's job market with downsizing, rightsizing, layoffs, mergers and acquisitions, etc. your job skills and job-hunting skills need to be constantly updated and refined.

The job market is getting tougher and your competition is getting smarter. That's why you need to gain every advantage you can. You need to become a Job-Search "Commando". Commandos commonly use guerilla tactics to win. What I am about to share with you are tactics that have helped me find good jobs over the last 28 years.

Commando Tactic #1 - Problem solvers get jobs!

All companies have problems. Demonstrate that you can solve a company's problems and the world will beat a path to your door.

What type of issues do companies have?

* Sales are down

* Expenses are up

* Market share is decreasing

* Layoffs are coming

* The company is in acquisition mode

* New departments/divisions are being formed

* Someone is retiring or going on leave

* The company is entering a new market

* A new product has been developed

* New ad campaigns are being discussed

* A department that was outsourced is now being brought in-house (ad agency, Public Relations)

* They are in need of new leadership

* Assignments/goals/objectives are not being met

* The competition is continuing to gain market share.

At this moment, dozens of companies in your surrounding area are in immediate need of someone like you to help solve their problems; you just need to find them. That leads us to broadcast letters.

Commando Tactic #2 - Broadcast letters uncover positions in the "hidden" job market.

A Broadcast or Marketing letter is an excellent way to uncover positions that have not been announced yet. Many people call this the hidden job market. Once you tap into the hidden job market, your chance of success increase dramatically.

Why? Because you are not competing with a "million" other people that answered the same ad. There are no other people because there was no ad!

Broadcast letters can help generate leads for you because companies always problems that need to be solved. As they say, timing is everything so if your letter arrives at the right time, you may find yourself with a job interview.

In addition to solving a problem (see list above) that the company currently has or will have in the near future, considering you might actually save them money.

How? If you are the right candidate to help solve a problem or address a specific issue, they will not have to pay a recruiter, or place any ads on Monster.com, or in dozens of newspapers. - Everyone wins!

Commando Tactic #3 - Answering blind ads lessens your competition.

Many people think that answering blind ads opens yourself up to the possibility that you might be sending your cover and resume to your current company. While there is that possibility, the ad hopefully gives you enough information to recognize it as your won company.

What most job hunters don't realize it that blind ads will usually only get about 50% of the responses that a traditional ad would get. What that means is that you are competing with half the number of people you normally would. This essentially doubles your chances of having your resume and cover letter selected for a follow-up phone call.

Commando Tactic #4 - The best time to answer an ad?

Be the last resume received. I made it a habit of sending in my cover letter and resume 2 weeks after the ad ran. By then I knew I was not competing with 500 other resumes that were sent in right away. My information got more time because the hiring manager did not have to read 499 other resumes the same day.

Commando Tactic #5 - Answer ads twice

If you never hear from a company where you sent in your resume, send another cover letter and resume in about 2 months. Many times, the position was not filled because there was no qualified candidate or the company and candidate could not come to terms on a compensation package. This means they have to start from scratch. Your resume may arrive just at the right time and get a second look.

By following some of these Commando tactics, you chances of finding the job you want will increase dramatically.