There is a certain energy and vitality to conducting an effective job search campaign. At times, it might seem like a roller coaster ride. There are lots of ups and downs, and times when you think nothing is happening. Sometimes, there is a good reason why there is nothing happening. The applicant is not doing anything to generate activity.

In order to find out where you are going off track, you have to first identify what you are doing. What is working? What is not?

Are you getting calls? Are you getting interviews? Interviews, but no job offers? Are you confused as to where to look? Are you only responding to ads in the paper? Or are you waiting for that perfect job, with no responses from your resume posting on the web? Each of us would answer these questions differently.

There are several key areas in which applicants or job seekers might be going off track. The job seeker should look at and evaluate each of them, as they all work in conjunction with each other.

In order to get back on track, it is important to do all the steps effectively. Here are the things you must do:

• Do a critical examination of who you are and where you are going. In this process, get feedback from others about your skills, achievements, and goals for the future. If you are confused, your job search must take a back seat to this process. If you do not have the luxury of taking time to analyze in this area, get a job that you know you can do while you are actively examining your goals.
• Represent what you want well through your resume. Your resume is your calling card. It is the first impression that employers have about you. It tells them where you have been, what you have done, and where you want to go.

You need to hit employers with those achievements that will take you where you want to go; something that will get them excited. Otherwise, you are an average worker. Simply put, employers want candidates who can solve problems, have stellar customer service, save and or make money for the company!

• Do a cover letter that reflects who you are, what you can do, and why you are approaching them. In essence, why should they look at you? Why is there a match in skills needed, your personality, and in how you do business?

Do extensive research. Where are you looking? In newspapers? On the Web? Of course, you should look at these sources as a means of information, however, additional information can be gleaned by going to the library. There are lots of directories that will have listings of companies you've never heard of; they are potential resources for your job search.

• Check additional alternative sources (other than the obvious newspapers and the web). There are many staffing services targeted to specific custom markets (biotech, law, high tech, etc). You should devote part of your search to these methods, but not solely rely on them. Why wait for people to respond to your job search needs? It is important to take action.
• Start networking! Networking comes in many forms. There are the people you know-personally, people who know your work, and people who perform similar work or work you wish to do. Collectively, this is a powerful way to get a job. Some job seekers are very timid about networking, however, this is the way most good positions get filled.
• Consider the different ways people look for work. There is no one way to "skin a cat." In other words, writing a letter to the appropriate person might land a great job, and yet, it might not. You can speed up your approach or make a more successful attempt by using a variety of methods---writing to hiring managers in your area of expertise who are advertising jobs, calling hiring managers who are hiring. You might also consider writing to and calling potential hiring managers about unadvertised jobs.

With all these tools--- the web, newspaper, networking, and staffing agencies, you will now have a creative and powerful search.

• Interviews. Take a look at how I say it and what I say. Are you getting your point across? Do you adequately demonstrate what you can do? Sometimes, it is simply chemistry. That (chemistry) you cannot change, but you can know about the company, articulate your skills and abilities, and talk about their work environment.
• Follow-up. This is the real test of the pudding - follow-up. Some job seekers lose site of the fact that this is an ongoing process; it is an art. You need to connect in different ways with your job contacts---coffee meetings, emails, brief phone calls, thank you notes. These are all signs that you are interested, yet not harassing. Always ask the perennial question-"Do you mind if I call in a month or so?"
• Broaden your base of both support and information. Sometimes, we pigeonhole ourselves into what we think we can do. It is through others that we see broader opportunities.

You see on the back of transportation vehicles-"How am I driving?" Instead, you should ask the question: " How is my job search going?" Ask everyone you meet, both personally and professionally, this question.

When you have reached a real dead-end, you need to ask some serious questions to get you back on track.

If you are not getting interviews, you need to think about:

Your resume (does it reflect a vague or unclear objective, lack of achievements, gaps in employment?).

• • Expanding those to whom you talk (besides the current advertisements).
• • Doing research about targeted companies in your area of expertise.
• • Not dropping potential sources and to continue keeping in touch.

What if you are getting lots of interviews, but no job offers?

I know in a job hunt, second place doesn't cut it. However, something is working, because you are getting interviews. Obviously, your resume is catching someone's eye and it is getting to the right person. You have gotten most of the equation right.

Perhaps, you need to look at how you interview. Do you get your ideas across? Do people feel you can do the job? If they do, maybe, it is something out of your control. If you have doubts in this area, go a training center, and have a video taped interview, to see what you are doing.

Feedback and evaluation will get you on the road to a new job. If you are at a dead-end, you need to ask some serious questions and perhaps take a new course of action.