1.  Use The Phone More

Social Media is still the talk of the town, but we can’t forget about the phone.  I’ve made some really incredible friends through my social networks, but I’m 100% closer with the folks that I’ve talked to on the phone or have met in person.  In your job search strategies and goal setting sessions, reach for 3-4 phone conversations per week with new network connections or people you’ve known for a while but haven’t talked to.

2.  Make Job Search a Full Time Job

Some people claim job searching should be a 9-5 job.  I don’t know about all of that, but I do know that spending 3-4 hours per day on your job search will product results.  How do you break d own the 3-4 hours per day?  That part is completely up to the job seeker, but there are several main areas to focus on:

• Social Networking – Connect with influencers on Twitter, FB, Linkedin, or other social networking sites
• Browsing Job Boards – They aren’t dead.  Check out the major job boards, but also spend time on niche sites targeted towards your profession.
• Searching for Networking Events – Spend some time per week looking for events coming to your area.
• Phone Calls With Connections – Look up to #1 above .  Reach out to influential or interesting people in your network and set up a quick phone call.
• Writing Thank You Notes & Following-up – Reach out to employers that you’ve already interviewed with or submitted an application to.  Give them a week or so between each contact.
• PRACTICE – Practice everything.  Write out popular interview questions and answer them.  KNOW your resume like it is the back of your hand.  Do you remember studying for history tests in high school?  It was ALL memorization.  Memorizing your career history will help you big time.

3.  Stop Waiting

I’ve done it and maybe you’ve done it too.  I remember once I found a company that I really wanted to work for.  I never heard back after my interview, even though it just felt “right”.  I didn’t apply anywhere else, because I KNEW the job was mine.  As it turns out, I didn’t know shit.  The company hired someone else, but they took 12 weeks to let me know that.  I waited so long because I was already employed, but was looking for the way out.  Eventually I found another job that I absolutely loved.  It was a wonderful 2 years at that company that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

What happened to the other company?  They were bought out by CitiBank shortly after I found out I didn’t get the job, and my guess is that all of HR was let go.  It’s funny how things work sometimes.

Moral of the story is to stop waiting around.  Stop blaming companies for not getting back to you.  Move on and you’ll be happy you did.