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Looking for a job can be a stressful and challenging experience. You’re putting yourself in front of prospective employers and hoping you’ll be selected as the candidate who gets the gig. You’re inevitably going to face rejection and sometimes you just don’t get the job you want. But with determination, persistent networking and a focused search, you’re much more likely to get the results you want and land your dream job. Here are seven strategies you can use to jump-start or revitalize your job search today.

1. Organize your search. Job searches can be overwhelming and intimidating. Where to start? How to stay focused? What type of company do you want to work for? Job seekers will find sites such as Clever Careerist indispensable. Clever Careerist helps you manage all your contacts and keep a diary and notes on jobs you’ve applied to. Knowing when and where you talked to people is essential. Sometimes contacts from many months ago may reach out to you. The site also allows you to quickly discover new opportunities and aggregates all sorts of job feeds so you spend less time looking for your new job and more time making contacts and connections within the company and networking your way in.

2. Identify your target companies. This is huge. Without focus, it can become overwhelming to figure out the type of company you’re best suited for and where you want to work. After all, you just want a new job, right? Wrong, you want a new job with the right company. You’ll want a list of target companies so you know WHERE to focus your networking efforts. You also want to be able to tell recruiters, friends and networking contacts the type of places you’re interested in working. If you don’t use a site like Clever Careerist, make sure you at least keep track of your search in a spreadsheet and determine the companies you’d like to work for. Then start networking your way in!

3. Get past the NO’s. Unfortunately, rejection is part of the job search process. It can be frustrating, discouraging and demoralizing; especially when you get really close to landing a new job, but don’t get it because another candidate is selected, company isn’t filling the position, etc. Expect that there will be lows. Dust yourself off the next day and get back up. The quicker you get through the no’s, the sooner you’ll be on your way to getting a YES!

4. Have a killer résumé. Even though you may skilled oral and written communicator, you may need help articulating my unique strengths and experience in the résumé format. It wouldn’t hurt, right? Hiring a résumé writer is one of the best investments you can ever make in your professional career. A professional résumé writer can help you identify your skills and present them in a way that is appealing to employers. Look for a résumé writer who will take the time to work with you and get to know you and your career goals. The team at Resume Room provides a variety of career support, including résumés, of course.A résumé writer can help you take a “good” résumé and turn it into a “killer” résumé that gets you the interview. Resume Room also provides interview preparation and career coaching services, which will give you the competitive edge once you’ve landed the interview!

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5. Personal your homepage. Make it easy for potential employers to find you and your work and create an online presence for yourself. If you don’t already have a website, you can easily build a customized homepage that doubles as an online business card and résumé. There are many free sites that will allow you to do this including about.me, chi.mp, magnt and flavors.me.

6. Network ’til you drop. Even though we’re social creatures, the idea of attending a networking event to find a new job can be a turn-off to many people. A substantial amount of networking can be done online these days. LinkedIn is an indispensable site for tapping into networks of like-minded people, getting recommendations from colleagues past and present and finding contacts inside of companies you’d like to work for. Savvy job seekers also use Twitter to search for opportunities in their area. The more you work at building your network, the more you expand your reach of your network. You can gain useful tidbits about companies, figure out who the hiring manager is and sometimes even have someone put in a good word for you. Getting a job is based heavily on who you know.

7. Prepare for your interview. If you’ve made it to the interview stage, you’re expected to have done your homework. That includes knowing about the company, its mission and its goals. Make sure you’ve thoroughly gone through the company website. Find out as much as you can about the interviewer and your potential future boss. The most important aspect of preparation is how you sell yourself in the interview. With a sharp presentation, you will demonstrate to your future employer that you value their time and have prepared accordingly. Be ready to share examples of how you’ve solved problems, improved efficiency and contributed to the bottom line in the past and can do the same for their organization. Try rehearsing out loud so you know what’s going to come out of your mouth and how it’ll sound.

Remember, you will be successful – You may not get a job on your first try. With determination, smart and persistent networking and by staying focused, you can land yourself a great new job.

– Francisca Vincent

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