This article offers three tips you can use to improve your chances of landing a new job. In today’s competitive job market, it pays to learn as much as you can about conducting an effective job search campaign.

Job Search Tip 1: Know What You Want

You’ve heard the saying, “Failing to plan is planning to fail” and the same holds true for a job search. Many people are too general in their job search approach thinking that if they apply for every job out there, they’ll eventually land something. While that may be true, you’re better off targeting a specific type of job and/or industry. If you’ve got experience in that job or industry, then you’re off to the races and you’ll want to ensure that your resume positions you as an expert in your chosen field. If you don’t then you’ll want to address the type of position you’re looking for in the objective statement on your resume.

Job Search Tip 2: Prepare a Targeted Professional Resume

Preparing a targeted professional resume is essential. I liken it to niche marketing. You’re more likely to get called for interviews if you resume is targeted. This can be accomplished by inserting an objective statement into your resume or by creating a professional profile section at the start of your resume that describes the number of year’s experience you have related to that type of work and industry; your educational background and achievements.

Job Search Tip 3: Diversify Your Job Search Methods

You need to diversify your job search methods. If you stick only to searching for jobs through online job boards, you’ll be faced with a lot of competition. Try doing a google search on companies within your chosen industry and click on the company websites and check their careers section. They may have an advertisement on their website that does not appear on any job boards. Even if they don’t have any advertised positions on their website, you can check to see if there are any names of executives or hiring managers on their website and email them directly with a polite request for an informational interview to discuss any future job possibilities. The point is that there are many ways to skin a cat so just make sure that you are not sticking to only one method of searching for a job.

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