An article by contributor Eileen O’Shanassy.

With the strengthening economy, job hunting is no longer the completely grueling experience it once was. However, landing a job can still be challenging, so if you’re currently searching for a new job, you’ll want to utilize some different methods, including, but not limited to the ones mentioned below. For the greatest likelihood of success make sure you vary your searches and spread your job hunting net wide.

Tell Everyone You’re Looking

This is one of the most consistently successful methods of finding a job, as not only are many available jobs never posted publicly, but you are likely to get a personal recommendation that will drastically increase your chances of landing an interview and the job. Don’t just limit this to friends, family, and former coworkers. Tell your hairdresser, your personal trainer, everyone that you’re looking. Connections sometimes come from the strangest of places, and you want to put your network to its full use while job hunting.

Knocking on Doors

Knocking on doors, visiting prospective employers in person, introducing yourself to and meeting people, and leaving your resume behind is still one of the best methods for landing a job. Using this method is preferable to simply mailing or e-mailing out your resume, as potential employers get to see and talk to you in person right from the beginning. This humanizes you to them very quickly in a way a piece of paper cannot, and any first impressions you give can immediately get them interested in looking into hiring you.

Job Placement Agencies

It’s true that job placement agencies vary widely in quality. But working through a good one gives you a pretty decent chance of landing at least a contract position. Staffing firms also specialize, so if you’re looking for Loan Officer Opportunities, for example, you’ll want to be in contact with financial services staffing agencies like Succeed At Eagle. If the only available jobs at the agency you’ve chosen are contract or short-term, don’t panic. Many times, companies want to test you out, and then hire you on full-time when they’ve seen your work and know you’re a great fit for their organization.

Answering Online Ads

These methods are sadly not as effective as many job seekers wish they were, but if you have exhausted your other options or haven’t been looking online at all, it’s a good idea to start browsing. Fortunately, if you’re looking for a tech or healthcare job, the success rates of applying to online ads improve noticeably. Another method when searching online that yields better results: don’t just look at the big job boards, like Indeed and Monster. Instead, find industry-specific job boards for the types of jobs you’re looking for. Often, the quality of positions listed there is higher, and you’ll only be applying for the jobs you want in your field.

While searching for a job can be trying, knowing which methods yield the best results and diversifying your approach will make finding a job a whole lot easier.

Eileen O’Shanassy is a freelance writer and blogger based out of Flagstaff, AZ. She writes on a variety of topics and loves to research and write. She enjoys baking, biking, and kayaking. Check out her Twitter @eileenoshanassy

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