YOU are the product — You have to effectively market and sell yourself to prospective employers.

Fish with the right bait — Pursue realistic job opportunities. Do your market research. Uncover trends in your field. Use the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Handbook to review key characteristics of hundreds of careers.

Networking and cold calling — Four-fifths of job openings are never listed, which means you can’t find out about them unless you search for them. It’s like mining for gold, and you are the prospector.

Consider volunteering — You can develop new skills and possibly get a foot in the door to a job opportunity.

Renew your search NOW! — According to LinkedIn, January is the most popular month to look for a job. Don’t miss the opportunity to reach over 55 million professionals on LinkedIn.  Expand your on-line search by targeting organizations relevant to your field.