5 Ways to Improve Your Job Search Today

• Elevator Pitch, It isn't just for salespeople anymore - It used to be that someone who was a hard worker and had the skills and experience for a job could find one without too much difficulty. These days, not so much. Even for people who don't work in sales, having an elevator pitch is important. If you aren't familiar with the term, it's basically a short speech that clearly states who you are and what you have to offer. Marketing yourself is important and a well thought out elevator pitch can make it easy. Something as simple as "My name is John and I am the guy who knows how to get what you need, where you need it for the best price. Every time." Make it short, simple and as creative as you can. Typically an elevator pitch is something that takes less than a minute to say and can be delivered over a handshake. Practice yours every chance you get until it becomes second nature.

• Find ways to connect with other people - When you're out of work, it's really easy to feel isolated from society. Don't let this happen to you. You need to get out of the house and meet new people. As you network with other people, you'll find out about other job openings and just start to feel like a real person again. If you can't think of ways to meet people, consider volunteering for a cause you are passionate about. You'll get to connect with people you might not have otherwise had the chance to meet and you will gain valuable experience.

• Follow up every time - If you submit an application, send in a resume or even have an interview, be sure to follow up with the company. Even if they don't want to hire you, they can provide you with information about other positions or keep you in mind if they have other openings. You never know what might happen, so take the chance and give a follow up call every single time.

• Write a custom cover letter every time - This is another biggie. Every time you send in a resume, take the time to write a cover letter specifically for the job you want. Your cover letter doesn't have to be long, just three paragraphs. In it, be sure to mention who you are and what your experience is. Then, let the employer know why you are the best candidate for the job and then thank them for their time. Your cover letter should mention the key job requirements and how you measure up to them. When an employer looks at your resume, they want to know if you are the right person for the job. Make it easy for them by showing them in the cover letter that your resume is worth reading.

• Stay positive - I know it is hard, but staying positive is crucial to your job search success. When you are negative about your chances of finding a new job or become depressed it shows in everything you do. Just by looking at you resume and cover letter an employer can tell if you are excited and enthusiastic about the job opening or if you are desperate and depressed. Hiring mangers always prefer to hire the former rather than the latter.

If you aren't getting the results you want from your job search, you have nothing to lose by trying out these tips. If they don't work for you, then you haven't really lost anything. But, if you give it a shot, you might be surprised by the difference they make. What do you think helps make a job search more productive? Have you tried any of these strategies? Let me know in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for LogisticsJobsiteBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.