Not only is unemployment at a near record low at this time, but more resources than ever are available to help a person find work. Occasionally, an ideal job will land in your lap just when you need it, but more often it takes persistent digging and a little patience. The trick is to think of finding rewarding work as a job unto itself. Analysis, planning, and execution can make the difference between finding a great position, winding up with a poor job, or worse, getting nothing at all.

• Step One: Don’t quit your job! Sad, but true, finding work is often easier and usually less stressful when you’re already employed. Having a steady income will give you the freedom to not jump at the first offer that comes along. Also, employers tend to look more favorably on someone currently holding a job. On the other side, if you’ve been laid off or fired, it is out of your hands. And hunger can be a brutally effective motivator.
• Step Two: Identify your target! You need to know what you are after before you can find it. “What excites you? People need to know the answer to that question before they start looking,” said job finder Rob Sullivan, author of a guide to job searching and career changes. “Equally important, what doesn’t excite you? If your current job isn’t exciting for you, what is missing?”
• Step Three: Assemble your tools! Compose or update your resume and a generic cover letter. You will need to adapt each for the specific jobs to which you apply, but it is helpful to get the main portion of the work done early.
• Step Four: Find where the jobs are! Start with the obvious. Newspaper classified sections carry dozens if not hundreds of job listings, with the benefit of being geographically focused. The Internet has emerged as another powerful tool, with a dozen or more national sites offering positions in all categories, especially in the computer sciences. Placement firms can by your friends, assuming you offer the sort of skills they are after. The companies tend to fall into two categories: Contingency and retained. Either way, make sure they do not “float” your resume (send it out without restriction) without your permission. Having your current boss find out you are looking for another job can spell trouble at work!
• Step Five: Take charge! Spread the word among friends, family, and trusted colleagues that you are looking for gainful employment. Putting your own network into action can work wonders. Similarly, if you know you would like to work at the local biotech firm in the marketing department, call the head of marketing there and introduce yourself. Talk to them on the phone for a couple of minutes. Ask them what do you look for in candidates for this job? What do you wish candidates in this industry knew? People feel less pressured when you ask for help and advice than when you put them on the spot for a job. Happily, however, it often achieves the same effect.
• Step Six: Follow through! As with print and online classified advertisements, any tips from friends and family should be followed up immediately and with gratitude. Keep a running contact list of people you have called, spoken with, and how the situation was left. Also, do not lose steam. Set aside an hour a day for hunting for a job, letter-writing, calling, and researching potential employers.
• Step Seven: Reward yourself! At the end of each week that you have done what you set out to do, relax. The right job is out there and your methodical approach will eventually track it down.

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