There are a lot of things you should do before you begin a job search. Redo your resume. Work on your LinkedIn profile. Create a list of target employers. Research yourself online.

They are all important.

But, before you do anything, you need to decide what you want to do.

This is critical for several reasons.

First, your resume should be targeted towards a particular job. Why?  Because it’s just as important to know what to leave out as it is to know what to include on your resume.

Let’s say you want to work in marketing, but your last few jobs haven’t had “marketing” in the title. It’s important to focus on the things you did that were “marketing” related. For example, maybe you worked on the company newsletter or were involved in community outreach. Many of the skills you used, like writing, giving presentations, and developing an outreach plan, might help you secure a marketing position.

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I meet people who are looking for a job all the time. When I ask if they are on Twitter most of them say, “No, Twitter is not for me.” Why not?

If you’re looking for a job you should be using Twitter. It’s a great way to learn about the job-search process (think Twitter chats) and connect with new people. You may even find a job. And, at least for right now, it’s free.

So where should you start? It’s easy. Just go to Twitter and create your profile. Be sure to think carefully about the handle you choose – that’s how people will know you in the Twitter universe. As with your email address, it’s a good idea to avoid names like @luckylady or @tigerguy.

When you visit Twitter.com you’ll see there is a search feature at the top of the main page to help you find people to follow. You can look for people you know and search by your interests.  If you’re looking for a job you should search for recruiters. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of them on Twitter.

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Competition for jobs, the jobs that everyone wants, is fierce. You already know that. You also know having a solid resume is the best way to get the attention of recruiters and potential employers.

So you’ve decided to invest in a professionally-written resume.

But, with hundreds of resume writers out there how do you know which one to hire?

There are several ways to find out about a resume writer’s qualifications and to see if he or she is a good fit for you.

1 Get Referrals

Talk to your friends and family. Ask them who they’ve worked with, whether or not they were happy with the results. Find out what they liked and didn’t like about the resume writer they hired. Even if you don’t get a recommendation, you may find out who to avoid.

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Lots of jobs sound great. You may think you know what a position entails by reading a job description on sites like the Occupational Outlook Handbook or advertisements for open positions on job boards or company sites.

Truth is, you probably don’t.

For years I wanted to be a writer. I went to school nights and worked days pursuing my dream. When I graduated I found a job as an assistant editor of a national four-color trade magazine. I was in heaven.

Turns out, I did get to do a lot of writing. I worked for a boss who was also a mentor. She taught me how to be a professional writer. I got to do cool things like work with the photographer during shoots for the magazine cover. I also got to type the shipping labels for the products when it came time to return them to the manufacturers. One at a time. On a typewriter.

While I loved that job, it was hardly as glamorous as I thought it would be. You may find that about your dream job too.

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Last weekend, I went to see The Martian. Since I didn’t have time to read the book, I didn’t know anything other than it was about a man stranded on Mars. Without giving any secrets away, one of the astronauts is hit by debris during a storm. Based on the evidence, he is presumed dead and left behind as the rest of the crew evacuates the planet.

Well, the movie was awesome. Viewing it in 3D was an experience, worth every extra penny.

The movie has many underlying themes like the significance of character, friendship, and loyalty. It demonstrates how essential, sometimes critical, it is to be open to new ideas. However, the most powerful theme was the indomitable strength of the human spirit.

Later that day as I was thinking about the movie, I realized that many of The Martian’s lessons would serve job seekers as well. Looking for a new job can sometimes make you feel alone and overwhelmed.

Here are five ways to get back on track. (Don’t worry if you haven’t seen the movie, there are no spoilers here.)

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A slew of questions came in after a recent presentation on resume writing. Most of them were specifically related to the participant’s job search. But one stood out for its relevance to everyone who’s looking for a new opportunity.

The question was, “How do I get in front of the employer?”

Of course, the short answer is network your way in. But how?

Here are a few ways to connect with people at your target employer.

Facebook

Today many companies have corporate Facebook pages. This is a place where you may be able to find job postings and maybe even connect with recruiters. Some companies have pages specifically to reach out to potential candidates. A review of Citibank’s Citi Jobs page found several positons and information about their presence at a career fair.

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One of the good things about being unemployed is that you have plenty of time to look for a job. One of the bad things is that being unemployed makes you less attractive to some employers. While it may not be fair, many employers prefer to hire candidates who are already employed.

But looking for a job while working full-time has its own set of obstacles. Because looking for a new opportunity is a job in itself, one challenge is finding enough time. But, perhaps the biggest problem is making sure your boss doesn’t find out. But there are ways to keep your job search a secret.

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While it’s true that in resumes “content is king” most of us are very visual. Because of this tendency a boring, poorly formatted resume isn’t likely to attract the attention of recruiters or hiring managers. Let alone the new HR associate who may be the first person to see your documents at all.

You don’t need to be a professional to make your resume easy-to-read and add a little punch. Here are five easy ways to transform your resume from muddled to refined.

Add Sections

Resume content should be presented in sections that are delineated in some way. For example Professional Experience, Education, Skills, etc. separated by lines. This can be done easily by using the Borders & Shading function in Microsoft Word.

Adding some formatting to your resume will make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to read.

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Everyone knows the BIG, popular career sites like Monster, CareerBuilder, and Glassdoor. They all provide great information for job seekers. But, there are a many other albeit lesser known resources that can help you move your job search forward. Here are 5 of my favorites.

Occupational Outlook Handbook

When I was working as a vocational counselor we had a copy of this in our office. That was in 1998. Now it’s available for free online. OOH has information on 100’s of careers: Accountants to Paramedics.

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The goal of every job seeker is to get in front of a potential employer. To have the opportunity to sit down and sell yourself to the hiring manager. However, you’re probably going to have to navigate two to three virtual interviews before you’re invited in for a face-to-face.

Today the interview process usually begins with a 20 to 30 minute phone screening either with a third-party recruiter or a human resources associate. The goal is to learn more about you.

Until the first “meeting” you’re just another resume and/or LinkedIn profile.

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