by David Stillwagon

Created on: July 03, 2010

Even in the best of times it can be challenging to find a job. You still have to get a resume together and you definitely have to scour the want ads and the internet to find something that you like and then there are the interviews which usually are nerve wracking. No, it isn’t a picnic looking for work no matter how good the economy is. But what if the economy is not-so-perfect and you are out of work and probably out of money. How will you find a job then?

You still have to do the same things that you would do if the economy was good and jobs were plentiful. But you also have to be creative and bolder in your quest for employment. Tough times call for extraordinary effort and ingenuity.

Of course, you have the basic tools that you would use in any job hunt, such as resumes. Not only will you have to have the old fashion hard copy but a digital copy also. The internet will be your main source of employment information so you need to have a resume that can be edited to fit the company that you intend to send it to. A cover letter will also be needed. Make sure that every cover letter is unique to the company that you want to work for. Everyone hates form letters especially someone who is looking to hire an employee.

Networking seems to be an overworked term but it is an important method of finding out about job openings. Not only can you find out about jobs that need to be filled you might also be given a name or two within the company which is a lot better than just sending it to the Human Resource Department. For most people networking is awkward and that is certainly understandable but some of the most difficult tasks result in the most rewards.

There are numerous job sites on the web today. Not only can you search these sites for potential employers you can also set up to have an e-mail alert sent to you when there is an opening that you may want to know about. Don’t just look at the major job sites also check out the ones that specialize in your field. In addition check out the Federal and State government job sites that not only have jobs listed but also provide job searching tips and advice.

Social media sites are the big thing today. Twitter and Facebook have some of the biggest traffic on the web and they are a great source for employment information. Most job sites if not all have Twitter accounts so make sure that you follow them. Facebook has numerous pages and groups dedicated to finding employment. Another website that you definitely don’t want to miss is LinkIn, a social media site that is dedicated to working professionals who want to network with other working or non-working professionals.

Being successful at finding a job in this economy and this age of the internet you have to cast a wide net and utilize all the tools at your disposable.

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