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It’s 2015, and one of your resolutions may well be to become employed, either after a stint of unemployment or in a new position. Either way, new methods to go along with that resolution will give you the momentum you need. The following tips and best practices for finding a job will help you enhance your search and help you successfully reach that goal.

Use a staffing firm.

You don’t have to search for employment alone. As we mentioned last month, a staffing firm’s job is to help you find one. Consider your particular needs and, if possible, find a staffing firm that focuses on your skill set or industry. Staffing firms, such as PrideStaff, often have working relationships with specific companies and will also have the inside track on positions that don’t appear in the “Help Wanted” ads or the major job sites–this allows you access to jobs the competition won’t know about. And because staffing firms work for the companies, it costs you nothing to use them until they help you find a job.

Make finding a job your job.

It’s too easy to think, “I’ve got time to do this,” and then suddenly it’s 3 p.m. and you’ve played around on the Internet and done exactly 1.5 loads of laundry, but no job search. Wake up early and get ready to start your search at a “working” time, about 9 a.m. Make a schedule for your day and stick to it, even if it means setting some sort of alarm so your “breaks” don’t run too long. Plan what sites you’ll go to, what letters you’ll write, who you’ll call, what sort of follow-ups you’ll make. And consider answering this question: “What can I do more of/differently that others won’t?” See what you can do to make yourself stand out. You won’t realistically spend eight hours a day searching for employment, but carving out a good chunk of your day will help you focus and move forward.

Learn about and promote yourself.

Take this time to look at your talents, what you do well. What skills, either technical or personal, do you bring to a company? Make your own list and ask others who know you well or whom you’ve worked with before. What do you do that makes you a “go-to” person? This exercise will help you see you have a lot to offer and keep you positive. On the flip side, examine what you could have done differently or better at your previous position. Then figure out what measures you can put into place so things will work out differently next time. Hint: Doing this can give you something to honestly discuss at an interview: You admit you’ve made mistakes but have specifically addressed them. That says a lot about your character.

Make 2015 the year you find a new position for yourself. Use these practices and contact a staffing firm like PrideStaff to give yourself the leg up in the job search–resolve to make it happen.

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