Before hunting for a suitable job, you have to master the art of marketing your skills and talents effectively. This has a direct bearing on the possibility of getting the job of your choice. Here are a few top job seeking tips that will be of help to you.

1. Evaluate Skills and Interests

Listing your skills, abilities, interests, experiences, and so on will truly help you not only to define your abilities but also to pinpoint your shortcomings. A variety of jobs are available–some of them might be just too demanding for you, and you might be overqualified for some of them. This self-evaluation exercise will help you understand when to apply for a job and which type of job to apply for.

2. Visit Prospective Employers

Once you have completed your self-evaluation, it is time to visit prospective employers. The best time for a visit is in the early morning. Prospective employers get a good impression of applicant who arrive with a job application early in the day. You will also get ample time to finish the procedures of interview and selection, in case they are conducted. The old adage “the early bird catches the worm” holds true here.

3. Prepare an Effective Resume

The first step in the process of seeking a job is to create an effective resume. Your resume should be customized according to the post you are applying for. Some employers require a curriculum vitae along with a cover letter. An application for a job always includes the submission of a well-worded, neatly typed, and impressive resume.

4. Research Vacancies in Companies

After preparing the appropriate documents, you have to hunt for vacancies. The Internet is always of great help in this regard. There are a number of resourceful sites such as America’s Job Bank, HotJobs, and Monster that make it convenient for job seekers to research vacant positions and the companies that advertise for them.

5. Watch Out for Unannounced Jobs

Many companies and employers do not advertise for jobs in their organization. Applicants have to simply submit their resumes and application forms to such companies.

Inform everybody in your social circle that you are hunting for a job. This is what is popularly called networking. Relatives, previous employers, or colleagues are usually a mine of information about vacancies they might know about. Friends in the teaching profession will be able to help you find a position in a school or an educational institution.

Your contacts might not have any vacancy in their own company or the company they are working for, but they will certainly know someone, somewhere who needs to hire a new employee.

6. Try All Sources of Jobs

The employment section of most local newspapers are a very good source of information about jobs. There are scores of “wanteds” and other employment opportunities to browse through. You can save a lot of time and money by applying to several companies located in the area where you live. Don’t let any opportunity slip through your fingers. Even if you find an opportunity later in the day, inquire about its status immediately.

The Yellow Pages are also an excellent source of information on where and how to find a job. It gives a comprehensive list of prospective employers and companies in a particular area.

You can also visit a library when you are in the process of job hunting. There is usually a comphrehensive list of prospective local employers in the local library; your librarian will be able to help you in this regard. You have to personally get in touch with some employers even if they had not advertised for any applicants.

Watch out for signs posted in front of shops, stores, or buildings. If you happen to see a sign or a poster calling for applications, just walk in to find out about the job advertised for and for information on how to apply for it.

Monitor the progress of your job seeking endeavors by making a list of a companies you have applied for and the day on which you had submitted the application.

7. Use this check list to help you in your job seeking process

Identify skills, abilities, aptitudes, and experiences.
Identify prospective employers.
Prepare required documents such as resume, CV, and a cover letter
Plan your schedules.
Contact companies and employers.
Prepare yourself for an interview.
Assess the way you handled the interview.
Take any competitive exams if necessary.
Start with your new job.

Image taken on 2005-10-31 18:47:46. Image Source. (Used with permission)