Job seekers often believe that an effective resume is all they need in order to get all of their career puzzles solved. And while for some people it may be true that an effective resume will help to overcome certain career challenges it will not do a miracle and rid you of all job search headache. The problem is that too many people are focused exclusively on having a well-written resume and as a result, they don't do anything else apart from sending out their application documents to dozens of companies in hopes they will receive an interview invitation.
Networking and Online Job Search Tools
The most important thing you can do in a job search is to get an interview invitation (apart from actually getting a job). No matter how much time you've invested into resume writing and how good it looks to you if it doesn't help you get interviews with decision makers your efforts are wasted. It is wrong to assume that only with the help of resume one can actually get job interviews. As a matter of fact, the most effective way to get an interview is to call anyone you know and don't know who can possibly help you with getting an interview. Most job seekers don't like this part because it means they will have to listen to rejections too many times (and who like rejections?) But that is something you have to be prepared for because the job search assumes rejections in one way or another.
It is way better to overcome that rejection fear rather than to sit at home without having a decent job. So think of people you could call asking them for help. Previous employees, family, friends, competitors, former customers, professional associations, college placement office - all of these can give you a hand in connecting you with the right people. Another thing you can use in your job search is the Internet. Many jobs today are found online as well as many employees are hired with the help of the Internet. If you really want to stand out among other candidates utilize LinkedIn and other social network accounts to optimize your job search efforts. In addition to that, there are tons of job advertisements and job boards online you might be interested in. You can also develop a personal brand online that could help you promote yourself in the eyes of employers.
