These days, it seems like every other news story is about the economy and the job market (or apparent lack thereof). Everyone knows someone who has been laid off; people who were once looking for their next big career move are now hunkering down and riding out the storm at a job they no longer love because they are afraid to look around and end up out of work as well, and people aren't being promoted the way they used to. The amount of job turnover and open positions is down...but that doesn't mean you should lose hope.

Reports vary on the impact the economy is having on hiring, and consequently, on recruiting, but it's not all bad. Open positions might not be as easy to come by, but qualified candidates are always in demand and working with a recruiter can be a huge advantage to getting yourself noticed. Often, they have the ability to be pushy where, as an applicant, it would not be in your best interest to badger an HR manager.

Let's not forget that colleges across the country just flooded the applicant pool with recent graduates. Together, all these factors have left a lot of job seekers wondering how or when they will ever get hired.

The answer can be sooner than you'd think, if you get serious about your job search. A great first step is connecting with a recruiter who specializes in your area, as well as reaching out to your existing network of friends, colleagues, business connections and recent acquaintances. But you can't just sit back and wait for these people to come to you with your dream job offer; you need to work at it. The key to finding a job quickly, and nailing the interview, is to do your homework. Now more than ever, you can't afford to be lazy or take a day off from your job search. You need to treat looking for a job like it's a job in and of itself. Here's how.

Dust off your résumé

People seem to hate updating their résumé more than any other chore, task or assignment. It should be easy: talk about yourself and what you've been doing! But a lot of people struggle and either downplay their skills or inflate them into a work of fiction.

If you are really treating your job search like a job, this is your first assignment. Sit down, and get rid of all your personal distractions. Look up examples online and avoid sounding formulaic. Break out the thesaurus if you have to. The trick to a great résumé is highlighting what you brought and took away from a position, not just the daily tasks you faced. "Organized spreadsheets" is a bad way to explain that you "developed and implemented a new filing system to streamline operations." See the difference?

Work with a recruiter

News flash: working with a recruiter is free for job seekers. When you are placed, the recruiter or head hunter will receive a percentage of your salary for placement, but this isn't taken out of your pay and you owe them no fee for their service.

Again, let's imagine that finding work is your job while you are technically out of work. "Hiring" a recruiter is like calling in an expert. They probably know more people than you do (it's their job) and a lot of them specialize in a certain field, like sales recruiting. Recruiters often get inside information and advance leads on jobs, and they have spent quite a lot of time building up their credibility, so it speaks volumes to have them working on your behalf. They also don't get paid until you do, so it's in their best interest to work hard for you.

Apply everywhere

A lot of people get their hearts set on one job and stop looking while they wait to hear back from this dream position. Ever heard the famous line "he's just not that into you?" Don't wait by the phone.

You don't literally want to apply everywhere; to extend the job metaphor, would you try to take on the entire office's responsibilities? No, but you also wouldn't sit in a cube and perform one task all your life. Branch out and explore options related to your field but that differ from what you're used to. Also, don't be afraid of geographic barriers. Some jobs might be open to telecommuting, or maybe you'll find a new city you love. That said, don't apply for positions you are vastly under or over-qualified for, but don't be afraid to stretch a little.

Do your homework

OK, so maybe this is more reminiscent of school, but we all bring work home from time to time. The point is, you need to stay on the ball, whether it's in the search, application, interview or follow-up process of the job hunt.

Your "homework" encompasses a lot of things, from continually updating your résumé and/or portfolio to writing a new cover letter specific to each job you apply for. Yes, you can get away with a standard cover letter and will save a lot of time by mass emailing people with one form letter, but at least take a moment to personalize it to the position and company. If you really want the job, I say start from scratch; your passion will naturally come through. You also want to do the research part of your homework by getting some background on the company, especially before an interview. Then, make sure to follow up with a thank you. Keep a running list of where you've been and where you are in the process, as well as who has résumés but you've yet to hear from.

If finding a job is going to be your job, at least for the time being, make sure to set aside some time each day to check job sites, network online, and stay current on your industry. You should continue to wake up at a reasonable time and get dressed, so you feel more productive. As for those college kids who are willing to work for a lot less just to get their foot in the door? Remember what you have on them: years of experience. And if you yourself are a recent graduate, you might want to suck it up and stay at mom and dad's for a little bit.

There was a time when networking meant thumbing through a rolodex of business contacts, attending alumni dinners and carrying a stack of business cards (and maybe even résumés) everywhere you went. Business deals went down on the golf course, and positions were filled based on who you knew and how high up they were.

The Internet’s Effect on Old-School Networking

Today, networking has evolved past this old school model of promissory handshakes and after dinner cigars; networking is no longer so much about who you know, but who you can get to know. In a way, we have returned to the true definition of network, which is “a system of interrelationships.”

What got us here? In a word, the Internet. Not only can you now network online and “meet” people you would have little to no chance of speaking with outside of this digital world; offline interactions have benefitted as well. Email, event websites, newsletters, forums, chat rooms and easily updateable content management systems have made communicating alumni meetings, networking events and open job positions a quick and easy process for both the organizer and attendees or recipients.

Networking 2.0: Using Social Media and Other Online Tools to Connect

And of course, there are the social networks. LinkedIn was started with the express purpose of connecting people with similar professional interests or backgrounds, to help them expand their reach (or network, if you will) and harness the power of the Internet for the betterment of their business.

Facebook has more social beginnings and was intended to “connect people with friends and others who work, study and live around them.” Business leaders, job seekers and recruiters quickly realized the value of Facebook and it has since grown to include over 200 million active users, many of whom capitalize on the site’s popularity to further them in their career or career search.

Twitter has been all over the news recently, thanks to celebrity endorsements from Oprah, Shaq and Ashton Kutcher. But the true Twitter stars are those who can show real personal gain from the site and have used it to network themselves into a new job.

Utilize Online Connections to Enhance and Complement Your Offline Networking

What’s the takeaway from all this? Networking is far from dead; it’s just keeping up with the times. And that means you should be too. It’s easier than ever to stay up-to-date on live, face-to-face networking events thanks to email and dozens of event websites; you can also sign up for weekly digest newsletters to recap what you miss. But the real power of the Internet is the sheer number of people you have access to. If we are really all connected by six degrees of separation or less, than social networks are helping us bridge the gaps and meet each step of that separation.

So do yourself a favor and invest in your future by taking the time to network, both online and off. In this competitive job market and still shaky economy, you can’t afford not to.

If you are employed in a career or looking for your next sales position, you need to have your profile on LinkedIn.com Why, you ask?

It’s a social networking site designed strictly for professionals. The beauty of this site: your direct connections (your professional network of contacts) become linked to your connections’ connections.

Think of the sheer numbers - 36 million professionals listed on LinkedIn in 200 countries around the world. In fact, many headhunters and top managers check out candidates for sales management on LinkedIn. Employees in companies often alert their network of friends about available positions and can provide job hunters with valuable tips about a company’s corporate culture and about the hiring manager.

As a candidate for a sales position, you can use LinkedIn to search for companies that you would like to work for, search for available openings, and quiz your network and their networks for anyone who may work for the company. After all, the best referral you can get comes from someone who works on the inside.

Both employees and job seekers can also keep abreast of the latest in their sales field by taking part in discussion groups. They can also alert their networks of any sales openings they discover. So, do yourself a big favor - take the time to update your professional profile on LinkedIn and make sure your contacts are up to date.

Now for the social networking service Twitter.com – that’s gotten so much press lately. Twitter is simply a way in which you keep everyone in your network informed about exactly what you are doing right now. (Think like a reporter on the scene.) However, you cannot “over-speak” with Twitter, as each message (known as a tweet) can only be 140 characters (spaces, not words) long. Because of these limits, you have to be REALLY BRIEF.

People use their laptops or their cell phones to send tweets to anyone (tweeple or tweeps) they allow to follow them in their day. Who’s taken to Twitter beyond the youthful tech-savvy? US Congress has, because they can speak directly to their constituents without the filtering of news reporters. Reporters have, for breaking news. People in court cases have.

How can Twitter help you in your hunt for the next best sales professional position? Every time you get a lead on a possibility, you can query your “tweeple” to find out if anyone knows anything more. You can also keep your sales recruiter informed about how you did right after the interview. And, if you hear of a position that you are not interested in, please let your Twitter network help someone else out.

So, go ahead and sign up for Twitter, but protect your profile by approving only those whom you trust implicitly to follow you. And, download apps so you can “tweet” to your cell phone. As with any social networking site, keep your private life out of your employer’s or future employer’s hands.

Target Consulting Group, LLC is a well-established sales recruitment and placement firm providing all kinds of companies and organizations in New England and nationwide with top performing sales professionals. They offer both commission-based placement and retainer search for companies.

You may be one of the many sales professionals who just lost their jobs, or maybe you’re hanging on to your job, but are understandably nervous!

The same old rules apply. Revise that resume. If you’re still employed, seek out more ways to bring value and $$$ to your company. If you have gotten out of the habit, start networking NOW.

Network the Right Way

Remember, good networking etiquette is important. Don’t just attend that industry meeting to pass your resume around, expecting a good connection without paying your dues. Instead, join a committee. Value these new connections, by volunteering your talents, your time, your sales knowledge, sales recruiters and company contacts or your advice. Then, when the time comes that you need referrals, they will gladly help.

Facebook – One Way to Find More Industry Contacts & Sales Professionals

Another way to network is by joining Facebook. Originally a social media site devoted to the 18-year- to 34-year-old market, Facebook’s fastest growing segment is the 30+ market. Currently, it has about 175 million active users.

We think Facebook is a great way to connect with other sales professionals and sales recruiters, friends and family and communicate with them. But when you sign up, we think you should keep each of these categories (sales pros, friends, family) as separate groups. Why? You wouldn’t share the same information with your family that you would with your boss, would you?

Keep Your Business Hat On

Always act professional and don’t "over-reveal" yourself like many students have mistakenly done on Facebook and MySpace. Your boss or prospective employer does not have to know that you do a mean tango, or enjoy fine red wine…either does your mother!

Be careful about the information you do include on your profile. (Again, if your mother would be shocked to hear about it, do not include it! If you wouldn’t put it on a sales resume, then delete it.)

Be Selective – Make Facebook Work for You

Facebook is one place to start networking with other professionals in your field – people you know and then colleagues and peers of people you know. We suggest that you be selective about whom you invite to join your "pro" list. The goal is to get more meaningful professional sales contacts, including sales applicants and sales recruiters, not just a huge list!

You can even share electronic samples of your portfolio on Facebook with interested companies, if you don’t have access to an FTP page.—Just make sure you respect your company’s confidentiality agreements and copyrights.

Facebook is just one social network media site to explore and use. Next time, we’ll discuss two other ways to network your way to your next sales position – through LinkedIn and Twitter .

Target Consulting Group, LLC is a well-established sales recruitment and placement firm providing all kinds of companies and organizations in New England and nationwide with top performing sales professionals. They offer both commission-based placement and retainer search for companies.