Trident ConsultingTrident offers training, consulting and recruiting services to business professionals.

Less than a year ago it was not too difficult for qualified candidates to find great career opportunities. Things have changed. The latest report from industry experts shows a sharp rise in job cuts, and the Labor Department is expected to report unemployment at around 8.5%, up from 8.1% from last month. This means that finding a job is getting tougher, and having the right skills and experience no longer forecasts success in the job hunt.

So what do you do?
First things first. If you have lost your job or are just coming into the job market, don’t panic. Despite the gloomy unemployment figures that are being tossed about, there are still jobs out there. Despite the fact that competition is fierce, companies are still hiring. Here are some things you can do to increase your odds of beating out the competition and finding that job you have been looking for…

1. Your resume is the key. Take the time to perfect your resume. Your resume is what gets you on the phone with a hiring manager. It must be relevant, and formatted in a way that is easy to read and highlights the skills and experiences the employer is looking for. It is a good idea to customize your resume to the jobs you are applying for. This may seem like a lot of extra work, but it is necessary, especially in an economy with so many qualified people out there competing for the same jobs. For more specifics about writing great resumes, see our post “Writing winning resumes.”

2. Don’t use a shotgun approach. A common mistake in a job search is to send out hundreds of untargeted resumes. This approach rarely works, and even if you land a job it may not be one you are particularly interested in doing for very long. A more effective approach is to do your research. Find out who is hiring, what functional skills, experience, and soft skills the employers want, and draft resumes and cover letters to target those positions.

And don’t be shy about following up after you have sent in your resume and cover letter. If you do your research you should be able to find a contact number and person to call and speak to. In most cases you should be able to find the hiring manager him/herself. By making the effort you will be showing far more initiative than most job seekers, and most hiring managers will be impressed. Even if you are not offered the opportunity to interview for the job you posted for, your initiative may put you in a position to interview for others within the organization.

3. Make good use of social networking. Social networks like LinkedIn, MySpace, and Facebook can be valuable job search tools. If you are already a member of a social network make sure your profile is current and relevant, and ensure that your picture is suitable. Your profile and picture should portray a professional image. Don’t be afraid to advertise the fact that you are looking for a new career opportunity on your profile page.

Make an effort to grow your networks as well. The larger your network, the more people you will have access to. This can be very useful when researching companies or industries, and may provide you with people you can reach out to for advice, contacts, or even interviews.

4. Be flexible on relocation. A common mistake many job seekers make is to insist on remaining in their current area. This may make sense for some, but the fact is that the if you are flexible with location, you will have more (and perhaps better) opportunities available to you. If you remain fixed on a particular location you may lengthen your job search and have to “settle” for whatever comes up instead of finding a job that realty suites you.

5. Get a recruiter… or several recruiters working for you. I often tell people who are looking for jobs to find a recruiter, or even several recruiters, to work for them. Yes, I am a recruiter… but I haven’t always been one. I gave this advice even when I was working as an executive at various companies. The reason: recruiters have direct access to hiring managers and the so-called “hidden” job market.

Let’s face it, you can post your resume on every job board out there, or send hundreds of resumes to perspective employers… and still not get noticed. The reason is that each of these employers is likely receiving hundreds of resumes for every single job posting out there. Human resources is often overwhelmed with resumes, and does not have the time to carefully review each one. Therefore they rely on keyword searches or just blind luck to find the right person to forward on to the hiring manager… or they rely on recruiters to help them out.

This is one reason why most organizations have agreements with recruiting firms. A talented recruiter will have developed relationships with multiple companies and hiring managers. This gives the recruiter’s candidates an advantage in terms of actually getting reviewed and discussed, which may lead to an interview. When you use a recruiter you are no longer just a resume in a massive electronic database. You become a person who is being advocated by another person, to another person.

Here’s the catch, though. If you have sent out hundreds of resumes and are on every job board out there, there is a possibility you may limit what a recruiter can do for you. The reason is that companies pay recruiters sizeable fees for their service, and if a company already has your resume in their database they may not be willing to allow the recruiter to represent you to them… at least not for a fee. This creates an obvious conflict. So its important that when you meet with a recruiter you let him or her know which companies you have approached and any interviews you may have had.

For more about why companies use recruiters, see our post “Why employers use recruiters.”

Todays economy is tough for job seekers, but it is not impossible to find a great job if you have the right approach. Follow the advice above and your job search will be easier.

If you need help or further advice, contact us. We are here to help.