2012 Job Hunting Advice

Taken from an article I will sum up some of the tips and advice that it gives on looking for a job. One of them was to start my own blog in the industry in which I was looking. Well, my industry isn't job hunting, but I can certainly use a place to track my progress and record my lessons learned.
1. Make a complete profile on linkedin. My profile now is only partially complete.
2. Create a business card. I like this idea. It is easier for a prospective employer to carry around than a resume and people generally cherish the business cards that they receive.
3. Research companies before approaching them. When the interviewer asks, "Why do you want to work for so and so," this is a great opportunity to share some of the recent highlights and accomplishments of the company which you have spent a considerable time researching. The interviewer doesn't make the websites so don't try and use catch phrases and buzz words from the website. State the results you have seen in the company and how you want to be a part of those results.
4. Know someone. Find out if you know anyone who knows a manager at the place you are applying and look for an introduction of some sort. See who know. You might be surprised.
5. Prepare for an interview thoroughly. Can not stress preparedness enough. The interviews that I did not prepare for were a disaster. I crashed and burned before I ever entered the building. Take the time and the energy to prepare for an interview; practice in front of a mirror. Better yet, ask a friend to mock interview you. Practice answering different questions. Write down a list of questions you have heard from interviewers and make sure you can answer each one. Write out the stories that you plan on telling. Philosophies and adages are long gone. Hiring managers want results and the best way to offer them results is through stories. Make your stories interesting, engaging, pertinent, and short. This is where story-telling skills come in, this is where they get to see your personality, whether you have one or not. BE PREPARED!
6. "NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP!" Winston Churchill
http://www.secondact.com/2011/12/your-checklist-for-a-2012-job-hunt/