Anybody feel this way? If your job search has gone on for a bit, you may be wondering if anyone will ever hire you. In my Boomers Back to Work! Class we talk about obstacles, and there are so many it’s hard to list them, but common ones include:  age, salary, career change, not being up-to-date with technology, and worst of all, wrong strategy. By that I mean not conducting a smart search. So here are some quick tips to help you help Santa get that job in the pipeline (and if you’re not in transition, these are good to know anyway.)

• Resumes don’t get jobs. They’re an important tool but are frequently overused. Have a good one and provide it when it’s asked for.
• Create a list of companies where you’d like to work. Don’t get hung up on openings–just list 10-20 places where you think you’d enjoy working. Use this list as a key networking tool and ask your contacts if they’d take a look at it.
• Have a networking spreadsheet or keep your contact list in a notebook. Follow up is often where the good stuff happens, so be careful not to let possibilities slip through the cracks.
• Ask for advice. It’s magic as we all love to give advice. This is much more productive than asking for a job.
• Be creative. Talk to your local reference librarian, reach out to some stretch contacts (maybe the author of a book you like), shadow someone in a job that you don’t know much about.

The crazy thing about looking for work is that it’s unpredictable. A strong lead fizzles out, while a so-so interview turns into an offer. Keep light on your feet, connect with others, search smart and my bet is you’ll be working in the new year.

P.S. For more ideas, see my book, “Eliminated! Now What?”