How to Increase Your Chances of Getting a Job

As the demands of the job market become more and more specialized, it's becoming harder to get a job. Unemployment on the whole in the Middle East hovers…

You know those people who always dazzle during the interview—and never fail to land the job? We're sharing their secrets.
Tags: Careers,career,job,job interviews,LearnVest

Getting a job in today's economy is no easy challenge. You may not be able to land a job even after weeks or months of job search. This is because most of the jobseekers are using specific strategies to stay ahead in the competition. If you don’t want to be left behind in the race, you too need to have an action-plan ready with you. The more time it takes to look for a job, the more frustrated you can become. So, you need to act now!   Given below are seven key tips that you can use to boost your job search and land a job before it’s really too late.   #1. Don’t Look for a Perfect Job  If you ask career experts, they’ll tell you that there’s nothing like a perfect job. You may not always be able to get all you want from a job in a single package, particularly when the going is really tough. Therefore, the first thing that you need to keep in mind while trying to get a new job is ‘let go of perfectionism’. You’ll always have time to find better opportunities when you’ve got a job already.   #2. Gear Up Really Well  Preparation is always the key, whether it’s submitting a resume, applying for a job, attending an interview or meeting with the employer. Make sure all your gears are in good order. Spend adequate time to create an impressive resume. Do remember to tailor your cover letter to the specific requirements of the employer you want to work with.    Take a look at How To Write a Resume - Feel the Employer Pain.    #3. Network Extensively (But not Blindly)  Social or professional networking can bring you amazing results. If you want to boost your chances of landing a job really quickly, you should try to connect with more and more influential people, both offline and online. Attend social and community events where you can get to know new people. Be active on popular social networking websites like Faceboo, Twitter and LinkedIn. In any case, don’t waste your time networking blinding. Always connect with those people who you think can bring you career benefits in some way or the other.    More at Top 10 Networking Books for Your Career Success.   #4. Don’t Let Rejections Discourage You  Getting rejected is just a part of the game. And it’s so easy to get frustrated when you see no results from your job search. Not every employer will want to hire you. Hiring managers will offer you a job only when they are fully convinced of your potential and how you can help their company with your skills. Even if you are rejected in your first few attempts, you need to continue with your job search. If it’s really taking longer than what you expected, you need to review your strategy and modify the action plan.   #5. Focus on Getting Your Foot in the Door First  If you really want to boost your chances of getting a job, you should first try to get your foot in the door. The first break is important. Unless you get your first break in the industry, you can’t build the work experience that you’ll need to negotiate better job or career opportunities.   #6. Also Target Regional Job Websites  Don’t make potential job search mistakes like many others do. While it’s always advisable to submit your resume to the major job boards, it’s also a useful recommendation not to ignore regional job sites. Try to find jobs in your own location by visiting job sites that focus on a specific region.    Have a look at the Riley Guide or Job-Hunt.org for job board directories.   #7. Don’t Ignore Temporary Jobs  Getting a temporary job is always better than sitting unemployed. Since these are really lean times, you shouldn’t completely ignore temporary jobs. Many companies hire candidates for temporarily. If it’s one with a potential employer, you should grab it quickly. Who knows when this temporary job can turn into a full-time job position. Just give your 100 percent to whatever job you take up and try to showcase your most essential and unique skills. Finally, ensure you're not making any mistakes by reading the Top 5 Job Search Blunders.   James Tomerson writes regularly on career, education and latest job trends. To read more from him, you can visit Jobdiagnosis.com, which also offers jobseekers a free career aptitude test to choose a career which is in tune with their career, aptitude and skills. Image credit CEBImagery

If you're looking for a new job this year, use technology to stand out and increase your odds of getting hired.

To get anywhere with a job search you really do have to put it the time. Follow these tips and you'll lay the groundwork for landing a job.