(RNN) - If you've recently found yourself joining the "unemployed of America club," merging social media with traditional job hunting tactics could be your ticket to employment.
With the difficult economy, searching for a job can be depressing – especially when the job is filled or job seekers never hear any word from employers about the position.
A study by the Academy of Management Journal found that after four months spent job searching, time dedicated to the hunt had dropped, and the mental health of searchers declined.
Out of those surveyed, the 72 percent who eventually found work were those who stayed positive throughout the entire process.
So put on a happy face, and integrate a few of these techno-savvy ideas into your job hunt to keep yourself from going postal.
Resume
Whether your job hunt is the result of a recent graduation, layoff or career change, all job hunts begin with a little preparation.
No matter how perfect the resume, tweaking it should be on every job-seeker's to-do list.
A simple Google search will yield resume templates job seekers can download or use as a model.
Better yet: Ask a friend who seems to land jobs easily to take a look at your resume, and offer suggestions.
Or, for a mere $2.99, iPhone users can download Pocket Resume, an app that allows users to create, save and email a resume from their smart phone.
Beyond the resume
In some fields, the typical resume won't cut it.
In creative or technical industries, such as media or graphic design, job seekers need to think outside the box.
Creating a website is a great way to maintain an online presence while showcasing your portfolio or projects.
Polishing your writing skills, however, is paramount if you plan to include a blog. Some recruiters might steer you away from this unless your writing is professional.
Wix offers free and paid services to help job-seekers get started. It provides templates that can be replaced with your own images and information.
Site creators also can maintain creative control and build a website from scratch – no knowledge of code or internet language is needed.
Slideshare is another way to showcase skills to prospective employers.
Videos and documents can be incorporated into the production. Think of it like this: If Powerpoint and YouTube had a child, it would be called "Slideshare."
Another alternative to the resume is a YouTube video. But be warned: It should only be an option if you know what you're doing.
Business cards
Don't have a job? That's no excuse for not having a business card.
Use a generic term like insurance specialist, social media consultant, or business strategist to make career ambitions known.
Job seekers can easily make a distinct first impression with personalized business cards from sites, such as Moo or Zazzle, give them creative control.
Better yet, why not create a business card from your phone?
KaiCards Pro, an iPhone app, allows consumers to order business cards and create digital versions that can be shared via Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.
Networking
Beyond the business cards, the resume, and unconventional methods of making yourself known, social networking has to be the easiest way to form the connections that are so desperately needed in this economy.
Facebook is probably the first social networking site a potential employer will use to screen prospective employees. This can be a good thing or a deal breaker.
It goes without saying that you should clean up your Facebook page immediately.
And don't forget to ask your friends to remove any questionable photos or postings where you are tagged.
Twitter has revolutionized the way people connect online.
If a job seeker wants to work at a particular company, they can follow its Twitter account (or feed) and some of its employees. It could give you cues about the business's direction, and alert you to changes in key personnel.
If you don't know what LinkedIn is, or don't have an account, go sign up now. It's an easy and professional way to create an online presence.
Anyone can upload their resume, make connections with people they know, and update their page with current projects to showcase their work.
Job search
The number of websites for job hunting is mind boggling. Careerbuilder, Monster, Indeed - and that's not even going into industry-specific sites.
Rather than spending hours going cross-eyed at these sites, it may be easier to zero in on individual companies and check out their career or employment pages.
Companies also use Twitter just for job listings.
Many search sites, such as JobCompass, Indeed, and Simply Hired, have created mobile apps for smart phones to help you search on the go.
Organization
It's possible to become so overwhelmed with potential jobs listed online that you lose a few in the shuffle.
The website Huntsy is a recent gem, allowing you to keep track of jobs a seeker has applied to, schedule interviews, and store multiple versions of their resume.
Users could take it a step further and discover new contacts while the site checks their social networks to find connections at jobs in their hunt.
Copyright 2012 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.
Studies show that a positive attitude - and persistence - can help job seekers find work. (Source: CNN)
