New Year, New Job Hunt

As the new year prepares to roll in, it seems that a little hope is coming in with it. Hiring is up; jobless claims are slightly down. If you're unemployed, now is the time to start thinking positive and start rethinking your job search, particularly if your current methods have yielded not so much as an interview. Here's some quick tips on how to reinvent your job search just in time for your resolution.

Reconsider the Companies You're Going After and the Jobs You're Applying for
Ask yourself if you really even want some of the jobs you're applying for, and then think about the companies and positions you really want. Chances are, if you find something you really have a passion in obtaining, you're going to approach your job search with a renewed passion and interest and employers will note that! Just because they're not advertising doesn't mean you can't start sending out resumes, making contact and networking. 

Review Your Resume, and Start Using More Than One
Probably the best card you've got in your bag of tricks, your resume is your handshake, your presentation, your hello, your everything to that first introduction with a potential employer. You have to make it count, and if you think the one you drew up years ago using a Microsoft Word template is going to cut it, you're about as flat wrong as the design that thing is based on. Instead, rethink the way you're approaching your resume. It isn't so much about a comprehensive history of what you've done, but the good things you're capable of doing in the future. Put your skills up at the top, and make multiple resumes for multiple scenarios. Make a short resume for introductions and answering ads, a longer one for interviews and an electronic one loaded with keywords for sending out via email. 

Rethink the Interview, and Redirect the Control of It Back in Your Favor
Your alley-cat charm has gotten you pretty far in life, sure. But don't rely on it alone when walking into an interview. Be confident, not just in yourself and in your abilities, but also in your knowledge and research. Commit yourself to really looking up as much information as you can before walking into an interview. Get serious about spending at least an hour (minimum!) on every company you interview with. Not only will it impress the interviewer, but when they ask if you have any questions, you won't just sit there doe-eyed. Another important technique is to write down and commit to memory stories about how you improved a situation, process or result with your contribution in your last job. Make the stories interesting and tell them like a story you'd like to hear. People forget resumes and what tie or dress you wore (unless they're really hideous), but they remember a clever story or anecdote.

Recognize Your Values and Strengths, and Know the Value of Patience
When you're looking for a job, especially for an extended length of time, it's easy to get down on yourself and fail to recognize all your talents and worth. But know that you have great abilities and skills that a lot of employers would love to have. Oftentimes it's not about not having the right skills and experience -- it's about finding the right fit. Remember a job hunt is a numbers game and one that sometimes takes a bit of time.