1) Be patient!
According to Richard Bolles in “What Color is Your Parachute”, the average job search averages 2-6 months.•Get ready for 6 months of hard work, rejection, insecurity, and maybe even depression. Keep calm and remind yourself that if you keep trying hard, you will eventually get the job you want.

2) Discipline yourself!
Job hunting is a job in itself. The average job hunter in America only spends about 5 hours a week looking for a job. Treat job hunting like a serious job in itself and give it your full work discipline. Carefully plan out how you will use your time and stick to your schedule.

3) Don’t wait for the job to come to you — GO GET IT!
Research has shown that answering newspaper ads, using agencies, using school recruiting offices, sending resumes are some of the least effective ways to get a job. Going to a company and talking to people (especially the boss) is one of the most effective ways to get a job.

4) Pack your schedule!
The average job hunter only visits a few companies per week. The average job hunter may visit 10 – 70 companies before getting a job. It’s a numbers game: the more people you see, the sooner you will get the job you want.

5) Where’s the growth?
Knowing the job market means knowing who is hiring. Often large companies hire in huge bursts of expansion (and downsize the same way as well). Small companies hire smaller numbers, but over 95% of all companies in America are small.

Source: npu.edu

Meaningful Work
Explore your passion, identify a new direction, and take action to create a career that leaves you energized and excited. Curt Rosengren,Passion Catalyst

Say Thank You
Try to send your thank-you note within 24-48 hours of your interview or meeting. The note may be handwritten on a small, professional, thank-you note card (if you have extremely neat handwriting and only a brief message to convey), word-processed, or emailed.

Stay On Top of the News
Be aware of the latest business news in your community or the city where you want to work. Read local business journals to find out who’s on top in your industry. Review the Business section of your local newspaper, as well. These resources will give you a sense of which employers are “hot” as well as often contact information to send your resume.

Your Resume
Write it until it’s right. Think, write, think some more, rewrite, proofread, get feedback and rewrite. Joyce Lain Kennedy, Career Author

Don’t Give Up
Last, but not least, don’t give up. Job searching is never easy and it’s even harder when the job market is difficult. Keep plugging away at your job search and eventually, though it may take more time that you expected, the right position will come along.

Source: jobsearch.about.com

First Impressions
Looking, speaking and acting professionally help to make a terrific first impression. Tory Johnson, Women for Hire

Follow-Up
Don’t be afraid to follow-up. I hired a Customer Manager over a year after he first sent me his resume. I didn’t even need to advertise when the position became available. In addition to sending me his resume, John had called me every month or so to touch base, and even stopped in my office (through the back door not through the receptionist!) just to say hello. Needless to say I remembered him when a position opened up. And he was extremely qualified for the position, which is why I remembered him.

Interviewing
Be on time for the interview. On time means five to ten minutes early. If need be, take some time to drive to the office ahead of time so you know exactly where you are going and how long it will take to get there.

Job Fairs
Periodically attend these events even when you are not necessarily looking for a job to see what opportunities are out there, and to gain a perspective on where you fit in the job marketplace. Tracey Miner, The Mulitcultural Advantage

Keep Track
I have found that one of the most useful things I started doing was to keep track of everything I am doing. I use a simple spreadsheet, like Excel. And I do mean everything. I have one file where I enter all the information from any job sites that I join. Information such as the username and password I created, what type of job site is it -­ freelance or regular or specialty. Tracey Pederson, Jill of Trades

Source: jobsearch.about.com

Before you start your job hunting, make an assessment of what you want to do, where do you stand with job hunting, where you are in your job search, and are you ready to get started on a search. If you’re thinking of a change, ask yourself if it is the right time to get started, review your situation and make sure that you have all the resources covered. This does not mean that changing jobs would be easy but if you are prepared, it will run smoothly.Your resume and application letter will be your best chance to market your skills, knowledge and accomplishments.

First Impressions – Dress for success, and think and look confident. Be professional on the way you look and speak.
Follow-Up – Calling a prospective employer to follow-up creates the impression that you are serious with your application and really interested in the position. They would take time to assess your qualifications, giving you a better chance of getting hired.
Interviewing – Be on time for the interview, meaning, five to ten minutes early. If you’re not familiar with the location, try to find out how to get there before your schedule.
Job Fairs – Attend job fairs, discover opportunities and lookout for prospects in the job marketplace.

You should be able to stand out (in a positive way) during your interview. It is important then that you would be able to get your ideas across and commended for the way you speak. So be able to keep the interviewer interested on what you have to say. Be serious yet keep the conversation light. Be confident from head to toe. Not only should you speak calmly, but also your body language must demand respect. Answers are meant to be thought of, so do not just talk and talk to fill in lull moments. Make sure that you understood the question and then try your best to quickly think of an answer with a good explanation to match.

by: Evey

You should know what you want to apply for before starting the job hunt. In this way, your hunt will lean towards only one profession and a number of positions which will narrow down your choices. Make a resume that emphasizes your strengths, but at the same time, avoid placing unnecessary “achievements” just to make your resume longer (like your perfect examination in your English course). Make it interesting enough so that the employer would want to know more about you. Also remember that it is best to make your resume concise, so only place the experiences that would contribute to your job qualification. The resume is the written counterpart of an interview, so arrange it in a way that it would be deemed formal yet fun.

by: Evey

• When presented with the situation that calls for shaking hands, do a firm handshake.
• Stand straight, smile and be pleasant. Exude a positive attitude.
• Make eye contact with the interviewer.
• Wait to be offered a seat.
• Don’t smoke and avoid gum chewing.
• Answer questions directly in a clear voice.
• Avoid the distractions of moving your hands.
• Study the job you’re applying to and be ready to be asked questions about it.
• Never take down notes as it will distract the interviewer.
• Really listen and understand the points being made by the interviewer, avoid arguing or complaining.

Hunting for the ideal job takes a lot of patience and hard work. People search for a job not only for a better pay but also for career advancement. What if I tell you that got an interview tomorrow? Are you ready to take the chance? Are you sure that you have read your resume clearly and a lot of times? Some job seekers does not even know what is written in their resumes. Occasionally, when the interviewer ask them a question, they start to murmur and avoid the inquiry. But seriously, the interviewer would just like to see how we react and answer. Basically, what he needs to know is how we present ourselves.

In 2007, Senator Hillary Clinton is pushing the “Paycheck Fairness Act,” a bill that would intensify anti-discrimination laws, create a negotiation skills training program for women and stop retaliation against employees who disclose their salaries.