7 Tips for Landing a Job Interview in Today's Tough Economy

7 Tips for Landing a Job Interview in Today's Tough Economy

With a staggering 1 in 10 Americans unemployed, competition for landing a job interview is higher than ever. Gone are the days of sending out a few resumes and applying for a few jobs on Monster.com. Today's unemployed must pound the digital pavement in addition to following the more traditional methods in order to compete in today's employment wasteland.

To help make the hunt a little easier, here are 7 simple tips to make your job hunt as efficient and effective as possible:

1. Be Visible - Volunteer to speak at events, guest blog, do anything you can do to get your name out there.

1. Network - Spend some time on LinkedIn and start to attend relevant MeetUps in your area. The law of large numbers applies.

1. Get your Resume Out There - Think big. There is a world out there beyond Hot Jobs and Monster. Reach out to Head Hunters, post your resume on The Ladders and Craigslist and reach out to potential contacts directly on LinkedIn.

1. Talk - Yes, TALK to everyone. Strike up a conversation on the bus, plane or in line at the bathroom. You never know when or where your next job lead will come.

1. Make a List - Think of all your close friends and colleagues and determine which ones work at companies that appeal to you. From there, all you will need is a simple introduction to their recruiter or HR lead.

1. Broaden your horizons - While it would be great to land that perfect gig at a Fortune 500, applying to a few companies will result in only a few interviews. Apply for a lot of jobs, even a few outside your comfort zone.

1. Leverage your Social Network - A few status updates go a long way. Letting hundreds of connections at once know you are looking via Facebook or Twitter is a great way to get leads on potential opportunities.

While this is by no means an exhaustive list of techniques, with a bit of legwork and digital savvy, you can lock down that first interview. The most important thing to remember is that there is a lot of competition out there and some form of a personal introduction or reference will make you stand out against all the faceless resumes that are coming in. Network, talk, and be online and you will land an interview and a great new job in no time.To learn more about employment tips check out Business Insider.