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By now you've learned the traditional ways of job searching don't work anymore. A few years ago you could put your resume up on Monster and Career Builder and wait for the phone to ring. Those days are gone. So here are 5 things you can easily do that will quickly improve your job search results.

1. Scan your resume for 15 seconds - what message does it send? That's exactly what an employer will do so if you don't get a clear message about what you can do for them, then it is not a good resume. Since this is the most important document in your career, make the investment and have a good resume professionally prepared. But be careful as there are a lot of scams and mediocre providers out there. (See my Free 10-Point Checklist on How to Choose a Resume Writing Service on my web site).

2. Focus on the high-return job efforts.Job boards have less than a 5% effectiveness rate while networking has over a 50% effectiveness rate. Start by selecting 10 to 30 companies where you would love to work. Do a company search on LinkedIn and identify the decision makers and their staff. Then see who you know who might know someone who can make an introduction for you. Follow the company and people on LinkedIn and Facebook, join their groups and conversations, comment on their blogs and become known. This is how you move from a passive wait for the right job to appear on the job boards to an active job seeker targeting the kinds of positions you really want.

3. Optimize your LinkedIn Profile.If a recruiter was searching through LinkedIn to find people for the position you are seeking, would you show up? Try it and if you are not on the first or second page, go back to your profile and pepper it with the right keywords to get yourself a higher ranking. A simple trick is to look at the profiles of the people who rank well and follow some of the things they did.

4. Review your Online Presence.88% of employers will Google your name to see more about you. Make sure you look good on LinkedIn (100% complete profile), review your activity in Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and any other online account. Take down or change any comments that reflect poorly upon you. Use your own blog, online exchanges and testimonials to showcase your professional knowledge.

5. Create measurable goals. Searching for a job is like any other project and you must stay disciplined, so set firm goals for yourself. For example, "I will make 10 networking calls and have 2 meetings per week". Make sure you are focusing on high-impact efforts like networking versus job board submissions. Keep a record of you efforts so if an employer calls, you can quickly determine when and how they were contacted. Send me an email at if you would like a Free Job Search Log.

Use these simple tips and you will see a dramatic improvement in your job search results.

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