7 Ways To Jumpstart Your Job Search

During the course of your job hunt, it's difficult not to get discouraged at some point, especially if you've been searching for longer than a few months. Sending out resumes by the truckload and going on countless interviews without any offers can take its toll. When it seems like nothing is working, here are a few steps you can take to get your stalled job search back on track!

1. Get Organized
Keep a record of your contacts, the companies you've sent your resume to, and notes from your interviews. Set aside an area at home and designate it as your Job Search Headquarters.

2. Re-evaluate Your Resume And Cover Letter
If your resume isn't generating  phone calls for interviews, then maybe something's wrong. Get an unbiased opinion. Have someone else check for typos and grammatical errors. Perhaps in your cover letter, you're not selling yourself enough. Take a long, hard look at what you send out to companies. First impressions count!

3. Find Quality Leads
Part of your frustration may stem from sending out too many resumes! Avoid the urge to send out a hundred "blind" resumes a week addressed to "Whom It May Concern". Take the time to research the company - find out who the hiring decision-maker is and if there are job opportunities within their company. You'll get better results with 10 solid leads, rather than a hundred random resumes.

4. Practice Interviewing
Try a mock interview with a friend. Anticipate answering tough questions like the dreaded, "Tell me about yourself."

5. Follow-Up
Always send a thank you note after the interview. If possible, call if you haven't heard from the interviewer. Let then know you're still interested in the position!

6. Do Something, Anything!
If you're unemployed, try temping or volunteering part-time. You can gain valuable experience working for temp agencies or non-profit organizations. Add it to your resume!

7. Maintain A Positive Attitude
This is by far the most important step. You've read those articles that tell you to "keep your chin up", but the bottom line is, most interviewers can smell desperation a mile away! If you walk into an interview thinking "they won't hire me", chances are you'll be right.