The fastest way to find the job you want with a company you want to join is to do it differently from everyone else.  Understand that regardless of economic conditions, every large company, and many medium sized ones have a multitude of job openings in many different areas.

In many cases, getting one of those jobs filled by a suitable candidate is a long tedious process, complicated by miles of red organizational tape.  In the meantime, the manager of the department who needs to fill that position is often desperately trying to cope. That may be true for your area of expertise in only two or three percent of the companies you would like to work join. That's okay - if you can find them before the job you want gets filled.

Sell your way into the job you want.  Here's how.

1. Do a search on the Internet, or at the library, and make a list of all of the companies that look attractive to you, who you believe employ people with your skill set. Figure out the names of the departments that are most likely areas for them to work. Make your list as big as possible - at least two hundred potential companies.

2. Design a "prospecting offer" which includes the following information.
  a. Your name.
  b. A short comprehensive description of your capabilities.
  c. Two outstanding functions that you can accomplish.
  d. A request for an appointment.
Example:
  a. This is Jane Artist.
  b. I design multimedia presentations.
  c. I can make your training and marketing presentations attractive, entertaining, and clearly understood. I work quickly and expertly.
  d. Would you like to meet to determine whether you want to me to join your department?
 
3. Call all of the companies on your list and get the names of the managers of the departments you want to call.  While most receptionists won't give out that kind of information, you can usually get connected to someone in the sales department who will look it up for you. It's works to tell them "I need your help."
 
4. Call all of the managers on your list and present you prospecting offer (number 2 above). If the manager says he/she doesn't need anyone at this time, you say do you know of anyone who does? If not, you say "okay, good bye."
 
If the manager asks you to send your resume, you say "I don't put my resume in the mail. I'll bring it with me if you want to meet. So, do you want to meet me?"
 
If the manager tells you to contact HR, you say "Okay, good bye." Don't waste your time contacting HR. Don't send them your resume unless you are the rat that is sure to win the race.
 
If the manager says "yes," you say "when?"  However, be prepared to handle a preliminary telephone interview.  Be prepared with a list of questions you want answered before you will commit to the appointment, also.

5. Don't accept the first job offer you get unless it's the best position you could hope for. It's generally better to ask for a couple of weeks to think it over. That's because people who use this system usually get from 3 to 5 job offers within a month. However, you need to diligently work the system every day for a few weeks to get that kind of a result.

Jacques Werth, Co-author
"High Probability Selling"
Read the first 4 chapters free at
http://www.highprobsell.com