We’re not looking at the skills that jobseekers have. We’re looking at the skills that stopped jobseekers from being jobseekers. The truth is that there’s a big difference between the effort that a lot of people looking for careers are putting in and the effort used by those who will always know how to find themselves a place in the market. These techniques are that difference.

Proactivity

If you’re taking your time looking over the listings but not looking beyond them, you’re immediately doing it wrong. It’s estimated that half of the positions created in businesses aren’t being listed at all. How do you find them? For one, you should consider going directly to the source. Approach companies that aren’t hiring. Don’t just leave your CV with the HR or recruitment section. Instead, do your research and find the person who is most likely to be your boss and send a cover letter introducing yourself along with the resume.

Networking

Knowing the right people is going to help you spot more opportunities as well. Besides attending conferences and going online to sites like LinkedIn, you should also consider the places that businesses will go to find the people with the specific skills that they need. Recruitment agencies are used to catering to that niche, so you should consider joining them as well. The more people you know, from friends and family to strangers that you’ve shared thoughts with, the better. The old adage that it’s not what you know but who isn’t entirely false. But it’s never too late to start changing who exactly you know.

Storytelling

Being able to tell the story of yourself is just as important, too. When people really want the best of the best, they’re not just looking for the person with the skills. They’re looking for the people with the hunger for a career and the right personality to fit into a business as well. Don’t be content with letting your CV be one in hundred other CVs that business owners get handed. Add some flourish to it. Create a resume online and focus on your own branding. It’s the kind of effort and professional approach that will immediately catch the attention.

Detail

You need to impress an employer in ten seconds. That’s how long it takes them to decide whether or not to keep reading a CV or to leave it in the ‘no’ pile. The thing that will be most unimpressive to them is a lack of detail. Not in your skills or how you describe yourself. But the detail you miss about the place you want to work. You need to do your research and highlight those skills and qualities of yours that are the most relevant to where you’re applying. You can stick with a generic CV for your own purposes, but make sure you detail it to an employer before you send it out.

The right demonstration of your skills, the right combination of outreach and presence, and knowing how to tell a good story are all going to help you win the job you want. With these tips, the job hunting will be happier than ever.