You know, looking for a job in the 21st Century is a huge challenge!

Why? Well, most folks looking for a job use old-fashioned 20th Century techniques. And then they wonder why they don’t get results. For example, if you’re serious about finding a high-paying job and you want to do it fast, then you’re making a big mistake by relying on your resume to get results.

OK. I know the common wisdom is that you put together a dynamite resume and then you post it on some job sites like Monster or HotJobs. Or you email it to a bunch of companies. And you answer a lot of advertised openings and wait for the phone to ring.

The theory goes: if I get enough resumes in the wind something will eventually happen.

What usually happens is you sit waiting . . . for weeks, maybe even months. Then, in desperation you repeat the process all over again. You rewrite your resume, convinced maybe something in your resume wasn’t attracting enough attention. You count on the numbers eventually working for you.

Well, that approach used to work back in the day. Employers were able to make preliminary decisions based on a piece of paper. But no more. Especially since 911. 21st Century employers have different needs and expectations. What they need to know about you to make an intelligent hiring decision isn’t going to come from a resume.

So, if you want to be in tune with what’s going on in the real world, then looking for a job has to be consistent with how hiring decisions are mad . . . not what YOU think an employer would like to know about you. That requires a whole different alternative approach.

To give you an idea of today’s sophisticated job market expects, here are the 10 power principles that can guarantee your job search success.

1. Run your job search like an entrepreneurial business using basic marketing strategies.

2. Prepare a list of your strengths, capabilities and key transferable skills.

3. Identify and recruit personal contacts and career partners.

4. Research and target organizations that match your interests and skills. Identify specific hiring decision-makers to approach.

5. Develop a compelling communication and presentation plan to position you as a highly attractive job candidate.

6. Utilize various alternative methods to arrange non-interview meetings with targeted decision-makers.

7. Practice and perfect assertive face-to-face communication techniques. Do not limit presentations to traditional interviews. Prepare job creation strategies.

8. Master powerful closing and negotiating techniques.

9. Follow through and follow up on each employer contact.

10. Repeat the process to acquire multiple job offers so you can select your next job rather than settle for it.

In other words, you need a carefully-crafted plan that will consistently move you toward success in looking for a job . . . a track to run on that gets real results. When you do that you can dramatically move the odds in your favor of a quick and lucrative job search.

Image taken on 2009-04-16 10:17:33. Image Source. (Used with permission)