Penelope Trunk The Brazen Careerist

Today's job hunt is more like a marathon than a sprint, because a job hunt never really ends -- it just pauses when you find a job you want to stay at for a few years.

I've compiled some tips that work for the sprint, when you're desperate to find something ASAP, as well as for the passive hunt, where you're keeping your eyes open in case something great turns up.

The important thing to remember is that you'll always have to hunt again, so part of each job hunt is laying ground for the next one. And part of each job you get is providing a bridge for relationships to continue between the hunts.

Here are my tips:

1. Send paper resumes.

That's right, in the good old U.S. mail. It's true that no one does this any more. That's why it'll be effective for you. Even if the hiring manager gives it to his assistant to deliver to the black hole of human resources, it'll go into the special black hole reserved for hand-delivered resumes. And trust me, it's not as deep down there.

2. Stop the delusions about online job boards.

The specialized ones work. Joel on Software -- that's a great one if you are a programmer. And craigslist is great if you want to clean houses while naked. But if you're a generalist, don't think a generalist job board will help. Fewer than 10 percent of all jobs are filled via those big boards.

3. Get to people via their friends.

Use social networking sites to see who knows someone you'd like to work for and get an introduction. You could spend hours reading peoples' friends lists, or LinkedIn lists. It's worth the time. You never know who your friends know.

4. Use software to manage your hunt.

A job hunt is complicated, with lots of pieced of unrelated information to keep track of. Excel is OK if you have quick-and-easy hunts. But for people who see job hunting as a lifestyle, JibberJobber is an example of software that can keep you from getting lost in a pile of your contacts and saved job postings.

5. Write about achievements, not job duties.

I say this 10 times a year, and still, everyone thinks they're the exception to this rule. You aren't the exception -- you shouldn't list your job duties on your resume. No one cares. You should list your achievements. People want to hire people who do things well, not people who just show up. List what you did well, and quantify it.

6. Limit your resume to one page.

You get one page to tell people why they should hire you. If you need more than that, ask yourself why. Did you not put the great stuff on page one? If you have one page full of grand achievements, that's enough to get you an interview. If you have two pages, you announce immediately that page one has nothing on it so you're trying again.

7. Practice for the interview.

An interview is not some random bunch of unpredictable questions. An interview is more like a press conference. You take every question and figure out how to use it to spew your talking points.

But how can you do this if you don't know your talking points? Know why someone should hire you, know the most important things you need to say in an interview. These are the basis for answers to the questions you get asked.

8. Tell good stories.

People remember you if you tell good stories about yourself. Stories should entertain people while telling them what you are good at. If you don't know how to do this, buy Brag!: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn without Blowing It by Peggy Klaus. If you tell good stories at cocktail parties, people will remember you and refer other people to you. If you tell good stories in an interview, people will find you likable. And that is, after all, the trait people hire for.

9. Be helpful.

Not when you're job hunting, but when you're not. When you don't need anything from anyone else, give a lot. This is when you look the most selfless. It'll come back to you when you do need help. People will want to do you a favor.

10. Ask for help.

The most effective job hunts are team efforts. Ask people about the companies they know and where you'd fit. Ask people to recommend managers who will teach you a lot. Ask people for advice on positioning yourself in your resume. Ask people to introduce you to their friends. Most people will help you if you ask -- we all want to feel useful.