I was asked to submit some tips but not the obvious ones for conducting a job search. Here they are:

5 More Tips on Securing a job:
1.Evaluate how your skills, background, strengths and talents compare with what prospective employers are looking for. If there are weaknesses, determine how you can either minimize them or eliminate them (take additional classes in an area in which you are deficient). Most importantly, where can you add value to this prospective employer (speak additional languages, have managed as well as had hands on experience, etc.). Make sure you always include your value added when highlighting your experience and capabilities. Showing that you can give them something above and beyond their expectations is a great way to bring your name to the top of the list.

2. As part of your job search collateral materials it is a good idea to create a web page which is different than your resume. It should be a showcase for work that you are particularly proud of and reflects the quality of the work you do. Creativity and knowledge of what an employer is looking for is critical to this being successful. For example, if you are a marketing or advertising exec it would be great to go into greater detail on some of the projects you have worked on showing examples of your work/results. Financial professionals would be more interested in highlighting some of the more complex transactions they were involved in with a results oriented focus. This web page should be included in your cover letter as a way for the prospective employer to get to know you better before the interview. It’s a great differentiating factor.

3. For people who have been out of work a long time and have burned through their network this next approach works wonders in developing some visibility and credibility with new people. Create a project for yourself that you would have an interest working on, is in the forefront of your industry, and that would afford you the opportunity to speak with professionals and thought leaders in your particular industry. As a “consultant” or someone who wants to write about this project it would enable you to: a)meet people who can potentially help you b)have people see you at your best – doing the work you love and doing it well c) become more knowledgeable in an area or dealing with an issue that is in the forefront of the industry d)this project might help you get in the door of a prospective employer.

4. Don’t wait until you see an opening at a firm where you want to work. Instead do the research and see where there are holes in areas with which you have familiarity. Where is their pain and how can you fix it? This means doing the necessary research: reading the industry journals, keeping up with former colleagues at these firms, staying current with the changes taking place in the industry and determining how you might fit based on your knowledge. When you have found the particular need they have, figure out how you might solve their problem and make the pitch to get in the door.

5. Become an expert in your industry. As you network for a job you are gaining information about the industry and where it’s going, about the companies and where they fit in, and of course, the people who work in the industry. Using this knowledge you can become the go-to person when people need to find out or get connected with someone to help them in the work they do. By helping the people you meet as you go through your job search you create a tremendous amount of social capital. Social capital is what compells people to return the favor, and usually it’s in a very timely manner. Your credibility as a professional grows exponentially as people start to view you as an expert. With the rise in credibility comes an increase in visibility and as well as in referrals and recommendations.