With the current state of our economy, finding a job is quite a bit harder than it used to be.  If you are one of the thousands of unfortunate souls that has lost your job due to downsizing or business closings, or if you simply need to get away from the job you currently have, you are going to need to put a bit more effort into finding a new job than you did when landing your last one.  By following these 5 simple steps, however, you will be able to put yourself ahead of the competition in the job hunt.

Step #1:  Perform the Search

Before you can land a new job, you first need to find one.  Don’t limit your search to your local classified ads.  The Internet is a great resource for learning more about job openings.  Sites such as Monster.com can be very helpful, but sites such as Craigslist and other Internet resources can be beneficial as well.  At the same time, don’t forget that word of mouth advertising is one of the best ways to learn about jobs, so be certain to network as much as possible.  Join professional organizations, participate in online forums or even start a blog that addresses topics within your field.  All of these methods will help you get your name out there while also expanding your circle of human resources.

Step #2:  Create a Resume

While performing your job search, you should also be working on creating a professional resume.  Unless you are a writer or have a great deal of experience with writing resumes, you might want to consider hiring someone to write it for you.  A professional will be able to take your boring job experiences and develop a more interesting and impressive resume without having to stretch the truth.  Spending a little extra cash to obtain a well-polished and attractive resume is well-worth the cost, as you make your first impression with your resume and you want to make sure it is a good one!

Step #3:  Record a Professional Message

If your resume managed to impressive your prospective employer, you should get a call for an interview.  Make certain you have an answering machine or a voice mail system that can answer the call in case you aren’t home when the employer tries to contact you.  In addition, make certain the message sounds professional.  While your recording of Samuel Jackson saying “I’m a mushroom cloud laying mother fucker, mother fucker” may be humorous to your buddies, it probably won’t help you win over the Human Resources lady when she calls to schedule an interview.

Step #4:  Practice the Handshake and Interview

Now that your interview has been set up, it is time to prepare yourself for the big event.  You may feel silly, but find a buddy or a girlfriend and practice the interview with that person.  First, approach the interviewer and shake his or her hand.  Be sure to look the interviewer in the hand and to apply a firm, confident handshake.  A weak shake or an overly dominant shake will leave a bad impression, so work on achieving the right amount of pressure.

After shaking the interviewer’s hand, wait for him or her to invite you to sit down.  Then, ask your friend or girlfriend to ask you a list of prepared questions.  Treat this mock interview like it’s the real thing.  Not only will it help you work out your answers to some of the most common interview questions, it will also help you feel less nervous when it is time to conduct the real interview.  If your friend or girlfriend is comfortable with it, ask him or her to ask you some questions that are not on your prepared list.  This way, you can also practice thinking “on the fly.”

Once you have finished your mock interview, ask your friend or girlfriend to provide you with some feedback on your performance.  Don’t let your ego get in the way on this one, big boy.  If you have an annoying habit such as tapping your fingers on the table or if you did a poor job of making eye contact, you need to know these things so you can work on correcting them.

Step #5:  Follow Up

If you completed steps 1 through 4 and you got plenty of sleep before your interview, you should do a pretty good job at the interview.  This means you should be among the frontrunners of those vying for the job.  Now, the secret is to find one more way to make yourself stick out from the rest of the competition.  How can you do this?  By following up on the job.

Before you left your interview, the interviewer should have told you when you can expect to be contacted regarding the job.  If you have not heard from the person by that time, don’t hesitate to follow up on your interview.  To do this, simply call the employer and say that you are following up on the status of the job you interviewed for.  If the employer tells you the job has been filled, thank the employer for his or her time.  If the job still has not been filled, be sure to tell the employer that you are still interested in the position and to ask when you should expect to hear more about its status.

Following up on a job interview does not make you appear pushy or desperate.  Rather, it shows that you are responsible and that you are truly interested in the position.  As such, it may be just the thing you needed to do to tip the scales in your favor if the employer is torn between you and another candidate.

If you still get passed over for the job, it is a good idea to send a quick thank you note to the employer.  Not only is this good etiquette, it will also help you leave a positive impression with the employer and may help put you at the head of the list when another position becomes available.