20 secrets to find a good job

Sometimes getting that first real job seems almost impossible. It's not. And like anything else, there are a few tricks that can make it a lot easier.

1. Define your objective. Yes, a job. Now, beyond that, if you could do anything, what would you do?

"The person who says, 'I'm willing to take anything,' has a much more difficult time," says Tory Johnson, co-author of "Women for Hire." "They think it makes them look flexible. The reality is it makes them look desperate or unfocused, neither of which is good."

2. Don't be afraid of having several aims. Life is like college. You might not know exactly what you want yet. Welcome to the club. So elect to have several related objectives, with resumes tweaked to match, says Johnson.

3. Visit the college services office. When the dean hands you a diploma, the school's job is not quite finished. Your alma mater wants you to find a job, and chances are it's got some great resources to help.

"They know who's hiring," says Johnson. "They know companies that are specifically interested in their graduates.

"They also have great services in terms of interview strategies, resume writing ," she says. Ask for your school to tell you about the services that are offered says Johnson.

Also ask: Can you put me in touch with alumni working in my area(s) of interest? Do you offer seminars in business development or etiquette? Do you provide job leads? Do you have a database that's accessible to me? Can I get to it from the Internet or only from this office?

Don't worry if you've been out of school for a while, either. The college services door "is open for life," says Martin Yate, author of " Knock 'Em Dead 2005: The Ultimate Job Seeker's Guide ."

Concerned that you won't be able to get as much help as those classmates who took internships? That shouldn't bother student services or you, says Johnson.

"It's totally unacceptable to assume that because you didn't have a related internship that you are not qualified to get a good job," she says.

4. Plug in to your existing network. Contact family and friends. Chances are someone will know someone, who knows someone, who does something in your field.

Many times, grads think of immediate family, "but they don't think to go to their best friends' parents, or the aunts and uncles they only see at Thanksgiving," says Johnson. And remember: "Somebody doesn't have to live near you to be of help to you."

5. Keep a log. If you contact 10 people, some might have a lead right away. Most will have to get back to you. Keep track of who you talked with and follow up.

6. Research your new career. The more you know about the job you want, the more likely you will get it.

Start with skills and professional culture, says Yate. What's the typical day like in your chosen field? One good source: the Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. What it gives you: detailed reports on various jobs with "a really good idea" of what life is like in that job, says Yate. Plus, "You can get snapshots of different jobs very easily and at one time." And it's free.

7. Get connected. Nearly every industry has at least one or two national professional organizations. Get involved with your local chapter. "You're going to meet the best connected and most motivated profs in your area," says Yate.

8. Take another look at your resume. Now that you know more about your potential career, write an appropriate objective.
Your degree and involvement in a professional organization are great selling points. "Consider putting them up front," says Yate.

Then pull out experiences from school and whatever work you had, and "write something that shows an understanding of the job," says Yate. That's the quality "most entry level resumes lack."

9. Decide where you'd like to work. "Target companies, not just help-wanted ads," says Johnson.

Go after the companies that interest you, not just those looking for new hires. Get the name of someone who heads a particular department ,and send a smart, customized letter introducing yourself, says Johnson. What you say, bottom line: "Here's what I know about your company and how I could be an asset and a strong contributor."

Or try cold-calling the same person, she says. Ask for an informational interview.

10. Shop smart. When you cruise job boards and help-wanted ads, keep an eye out for your target companies. What you can glean: contact information, names of hiring execs and an understanding of what they need.

If you see a job you like, instead of posting through the board, like everyone else, go to the company's Web site. "Find the names of principals and send your resume to them directly," says Yate. If you can't find exact names, apply through the company's own site. "It increases the odds a little bit," he says.

Or contact your professional organization and get a contact at the company, says Yate.

When you call the contact, say something like: "We haven't spoken. I've just graduated and I see that your company is looking to hire. I'm wondering whom you might know that I could speak to about that." What you can gain: a personal referral from inside the organization.

11. Include small businesses on your target list. Get leads from the local small business association, too. Small companies generate the most jobs, and many are not posted, says Johnson. That could be a very effective way to break into your chosen industry.

12. Prep for your interview. Some common questions: Tell me about your favorite class and tell me about one of the jobs you had, says Robin Ryan, author of " 60 Seconds & You're Hired! "

Especially important: behavior questions. Some examples: Tell me about your worst boss; what's a problem you faced in the last month and how did you solve it? What's a mistake you made on the job?

The trick to success: practice ahead of time, says Ryan. Brainstorm what you're likely to be asked, what you might ask, what others have been asked. Write out the answers. What you want to have: ways to concisely stress your top selling points and information. Review, and edit until you have answers you like.

One common trick question: What's your biggest weakness? Two ways to handle it. First, come up with something humorous, based on something that's not related to the job, says Ryan. (i.e., "I'm not the person to fix the copier because I'm not all that mechanical.")

Or show a weakness you had but corrected. Example: I was never good at this particular computer program, but I took a course on my own time. Now I'm my office's point-person for troubleshooting the program. The message: Here's a problem and here's how I solved it, says Ryan.

13. Understand what "tell me about yourself" really means. "Nobody cares where you went to elementary school," says Ryan. Before you go for the interview, analyze the job. "Take five top selling points, your experience and skills, and link them together in a couple of sentences," she says.

"It's your verbal business card. And it's very effective." And remember: You're speaking to someone, so keep your tone lively and conversational.

14. Don't dress casually. Even if casual dress is the standard, wear formal business attire, says Yate.

15. Let them know others will praise you. If you have strengths that others will verify, mention that in the interview, says Ryan. Something like: If you talk to my former boss, he'll tell you I'm very dependable, and I'm the one they always called to fill in at the last minute, etc.

16. Demonstrate what you can do for the company. What companies really want to know: What can you do for them?

Employees are "added to the payroll to make a contribution in a specific area and to solve or prevent problems in a specific area," says Yate. Show them how hiring you would make their jobs easier.

Since it's your first career job, you can't sell your professional experience. What you have: an understanding of the industry, interest, enthusiasm and motivation. Ask: What are the first tasks I'll be involved with? What are the critical projects of the first six months?

17. Don't bring up money. "Whoever mentions money first loses," says Ryan. The danger: You're willing to take less than the company would offer. Instead, ask the employer the range he's looking to pay.

If he pushes the topic?

"According to (name of industry professional organization), starting salaries are within X to Y, and I'm within that range," suggests Ryan.

18. Follow up with a note. Hand-written, not an e-mail, says Ryan. Include a few points on why you're the right person for the job. If it's down to two people, the note "could swing it your way," she says.

19. Be a graceful loser. If you call or they call and you find out you didn't get the job, your response should be: Keep me in mind in case the present hire doesn't work out. "You've made it so that I'm not embarrassed to come back to you," says Ryan.

20. Focus on the big picture. On average, "people are changing jobs every four years," says Yate. In addition, they are also experiencing three or more distinct careers in their working lifetimes, he says. The idea of company loyalty that may have worked for your parents or grandparents has gone the way of the eight track.

"That means you have to think of yourself as a financial entity: Me Inc.," says Yate.

This job, whatever it is, is just the first step on that road. "You're at the start of a career," says Yate. "And a career is a marathon, not a sprint."