Looking for a job should be easier than ever with the accessibility to the Internet. But why is it so hard to narrow in your search? Here are five tips to get you headed in the right direction.

• Target job titles that have sufficient hiring activity. A common mistake job seekers make is targeting employment segments with sluggish or sporadic hiring. Unless there’s sufficient activity, it can take a very, very long time to get a job.
• Revise your resume so it shows a very clear match with the job posting criteria of your targeted jobs. A common mistake job seekers make is thinking employers will “infer” job tasks they can perform, without “spelling out” in their resume the specific skills and experience shown in the job posting.
• Make a list of 25 to 50 potential companies that employ people in your targeted job titles. A common mistake job seekers make is failing to act proactively by connecting directly with employer sites and networking contacts connected to potential employers.
• Connect in-person, and through Internet networking portals, with people who have hiring influence (“or know someone who might know someone”) for targeted jobs at your potential employers. A common mistake job seekers make is ignoring the potential impact of networking, which accounts for the majority of hiring decisions.
• Create weekly goals and a daily schedule to conduct job searches, send job applications, contact network connections, follow-up, and both track and evaluate results. A common mistake job seekers make is not having a job search plan that includes goals, scheduled actions, tracking and evaluation. A general ‘rule of thumb’ for a plan includes a goal of sending 5 to 10 job applications per week.