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Imagine that there are 100 job seekers with roughly the same basic credentials as you. At least 70% of them won't have a neatly formatted, concisely written résumé, so you'll have only 30 other candidates to prevail over. 10% won't seriously network all of their friends and associates, and another 10% are not likely to follow up after distributing their résumés. Now there are only 10 candidates left with your basic credentials looking for the same positions you are.

How many of those final 10 job seekers will get and use the names of the secretaries and assistants to the decision maker? How many will utilize polite persistence to keep checking back, week after week? And finally, how many will send thank you letters after interviews? When you approach your job search in this way, your chances become a lot better.

Here are 10 steps you can take to make your search far easier and much more productive.

STEP 1)	Get a really top-notch RÉSUMÉ that effectively markets your skills and experience. Just as companies have PR departments, politicians have speechwriters, authors have ghostwriters, ad agencies have copywriters, and news anchors have producers, you might be surprised at the numbers of successful job seekers that are getting professional help with their résumés in today's increasingly competitive job market.
STEP 2)	Create a really great COVER LETTER… (more on this later). If you graduated magna cum laude from Yale, you may not need a cover letter, but most people will.
STEP 3)	GET ORGANIZED! Use a simple notebook and record every scrap of information about your job search. Any way you want to organize it is good, for example, by company, by date, by contact, or whatever. Organized people accomplish more!
STEP 4)	Use the most important word you'll need to know… NETWORK! The classified ads, Internet job posting, job fairs, employment agencies, Job Village, and the RésuméAgent posting service are all good places to start, but, by all means, ask your friends, your family, and practically everyone else you meet to keep an eye out for a job for you. It really helps!
STEP 5)	HUMANIZE your job search! This is often the single most overlooked aspect of the job hunting process. Remember the names of everyone you contact. When you call or visit a prospective employer, get the names of secretaries and assistants, notice the pictures of their kids on their desks, ask how their day is going, and remember, they're important too!
STEP 6)	Use POLITE PERSISTENCE and follow up! People who politely and courteously follow up on all of their contacts score points and greatly increase their chances. It is simply amazing how many job seekers end their contact with a prospective employer when told "we'll contact you in the future," or "we're not hiring at this moment," or "we'll keep your résumé on file," or "you can expect to hear from us." The fact is that many employers are simply too overwhelmed to review each and every candidate in a methodical manner and the squeaky wheel often gets the grease.
STEP 7)	KEEP YOUR JOB OR GET A JOB! While you're looking for the career of your dreams, keep your present position or, if unemployed, take any reasonable position you can. Employers prefer to hire people who are already working. If you're a student, take an internship, even if it's not paid. If you're working a dead-end job, take a part-time or volunteer position in a field you're interested in.
STEP 8)	RESEARCH your job market! Learn everything you can about the company and field you're interested in. Go to the library, surf the net, or better yet, contact someone on the 'inside' and ask for a few minutes to pick their brain. People love to give advice, and it just might help a bit with your networking.
STEP 9)	DRESS FOR SUCCESS! People who dress sharply and have great grooming and hygiene have "Hire Me!" written all over them. When dressing, it's 'conservative' all the way for the best results. As simple as this is, it's amazing how many people violate it in one way or another.
STEP 10)	CONFIDENCE is contagious. A bright, cheerful attitude will almost certainly improve your prospects.

By following the 10 steps we've listed, you will have demonstrated the very characteristics that will make you a great employee for any organization.

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