This is a guest post from Andy Robinson, CEO and Executive Coach at CRG Leadership Institute LLC.

It’s Definitely Not “Business as Usual” in the Current Job Search Market. Today’s employment and job search market can easily strike fear in the heart of anyone who’s recently lost their job. Finding a job in this market IS a challenge .... No question.

Jobs, however, ARE out there, firms and companies ARE hiring, key positions DO need to be filled .... The challenge is FINDING those jobs and SELLING YOURSELF.

Common Mistakes Abound. So what are the things that most job seekers are doing that simply don’t work in this market? Consider these...

* Failing to work within the framework of a structured and organized job search plan
* Lack of clarity in definition of the position being sought
* A poorly written resume that does not emphasize RESULTS and value you’ve added in previous positions
* Failure to devote sufficient time to the job search process
* Too shy about soliciting “help” from ALL of your friends, family, neighbors and contacts
* Over-reliance on on-line job boards
* Failure to differentiate yourself in the marketplace in EVERY STEP you take
* Poor preparation in advance of interviews
* Ineffective interviewing and “closing” skills


Out-of-the-Box Thinking and Innovative Tactics That Work:

The “tried and true” processes of the past, even those of the very recent past, must be dropped in favor of some truly innovative and “out of the box” job search tactics and strategies

The effectiveness of your job search and the results you achieve will correlate directly with how well you deploy tactics that nobody else is doing. Consider the following tactics to super-charge your job search:

* Aggressively Utilize Social Media Applications – Immerse yourself in becoming fluent in using social media applications in your job search: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

* Make Yourself Very Easy to be Found –Post your resume to major job boards and relevant niche job boards. Use services like VisualCV.com to give you web presence and searchability through Google. Keep your LinkedIn profile current and compelling.

* Aggressively Target a List of Companies and Employers – Once you’re crystal clear on your job and career interests, conduct thorough research to identify a list of the top twenty companies you want to target. Seek out contacts at those companies through your network or make contact directly using LinkedIn.

* Utilize a Job Search Planning and Management Tool –An effective job search requires a PLAN and a structured course of action. Organization is KEY. Two web-based applications that I highly recommend for this purpose are: JibberJobber.com and VirtualJobCoach.com.

* Enlist the Support of Everyone You Know –This is not the time to sequester yourself away from friends, family and the general public. Enlist the support of everyone you know. Tell everyone your intentions and interests. Share your resume with everyone.

A few final words.....KNOWING this stuff is one thing. Actually DOING IT and EXECUTING on these tactics is another thing. BE A DOER !

This is a guest post from Andy Robinson, CEO and Executive Coach at CRG Leadership Institute LLC.