The current economic climate remains unstable, and with the future so hard to predict how can you possible go about finding your dream career opportunity?Finding a job can be quite a battle, with many finding it is easier just to remain with their current employer or even worse remain unemployed.

You need to consider all the possible ways of finding the best jobs vacancies in your preferred area.

Your first port of call should be the Internet.Many of the best online job sites allow you to upload your resume and apply for jobs directly.You have the ability to narrow down the list of vacancies so the positions suit you, your location, salary expectation, skills and experience.Some of the larger online job sites do not charge the business to post the advertisement which is why many employers are turning to the internet to find new staff.If you are looking to work with for your local government department then you should go directly to their website for details of any open vacancies.Schools and other government run departments will not use general online recruitment agencies, preferring to advertise only on their own dedicated website.Many online recruitment sites will only show open vacancies.There are some also that you can just submit an application and when they have an opening, they will look you up.

Then there are the old fashioned ways of job searching.Look out for signs saying “Hiring Now” or “Jobs Available” because many shops, restaurants and small businesses will advertise in this way.If you see a sign like this do not be afraid to go in and enquire – after all, the job could be just what you are looking for.

Remember that your local newspaper will have a section for classified job ads.It is important to note down how the employer wants you to apply.Some want you to come in person. Others will tell you to email them. Yet, some will say to apply via the website.

Sometimes you can learn before about something that is about to be posted by word of mouth.Don’t be afraid to let people know you are looking for work.

Hopefully, you now understand the major channels available to you, all of which can help you get a new job.By putting in some hard work at the start you will find a world of opportunity awaits you.

Not many people will say that job searching is their idea of fun, simply because the end goal seems so hard to reach and you find that you’re applying for a job that doesn’t really match your skills, but there’s nothing else instead. Instead of wasting more time on the less than average job sites you’re used to, why not give the top rated Guardian job site a go? There are thousands of jobs on the Guardian job vacancies site.

If you have never been on the Guardian job vacancies site, it is easy to question why it is so great, but the first thing you should do is log on and see first hand what it has to offer you. One unique feature is the CV match option, where you let the employers find you instead. Features like this are very popular these days and the simplicity of the Guardian site is great. For the job seeker that likes things at the touch of a button where they can see them, the Guardian site is the place to be.

Of course, there are other reasons why you should head over to the Guardian job vacancies website, and the main one is that you find the crème de la crème of recruiters on there – something that other job sites cannot boast. This means you could be missing out if you’re still using some of the less well-known job sites. Make your job search something worthwhile by using the Guardian site.

If you live in London and the surrounding area, you’re sure to find that the Guardian job vacancies site caters perfectly to your needs. Career wise, London is the place to be, so don’t forget that you get a lot more money and better job prospects if you choose a role down South. Who knows, this time next year you could be living in London and have a great new career, all thanks to Guardian job vacancies.

Today’s economic climate has pushed several individuals to look at supplementing their revenue with a high paying part time jobs. The trouble is most part-time job opportunities do not necessarily pay tremendously well. This can defeat your purpose since you will might be making extra money, however, if the part-time job you will take pays well below what your primary job pays, you will will end up working more hours for less money per hour.

The solution is obviously to find a part-time job that pays well so it is worth your effort on a part-time basis. Believe it or not necessarily, high paying part time jobs are plentiful. Perhaps not necessarily seeing that easy to find or recognize seeing that most ads that you will will find in the classifieds or via the internet searches, however, they’re out there.

Here are a number suggestions on finding a high paying part-time job:

Stop looking at the classified ads in the newspaper or the net. Part-time jobs that pay well are less advertised since the turnover is lower compared with what most part-time jobs you will see in the newspapers or via the internet. Somebody see, part-time jobs that happen to be unpleasant have high turnover. Most are jobs like telemarketing, car washing, cashier positions etc.

Instead, make a list of businesses that fit your interests, lifestyle and geographic area. Therefore, approach these companies directly or visit their web site for job opportunities. Several large, established companies do tremendously little advertising and rely on their web sites to handle recruitment. Make sure your resume’ is up to date.

Apply at larger companies or well established local companies. If economic problems continue, larger, established companies usually can handle the changes better compared with what smaller companies. This, of course, is not necessarily generally the case, however, it may well help your chances. In addition, check out well established local companies since stronger competitors in your local area have the best chance of surviving an economic downturn. The other benefit is several larger companies have opportunities for pay increases and benefits, even for part-timers.

Look into established industries. Retail, even in a downturn, will not necessarily go away. Certain companies may go out of business, however, the need for competent sales associates to help move merchandise will generally remain. The same can be said for the medical field, delivery, cleaning and maintenance seeing that well seeing that the food and beverage industry. There are opportunities in these areas for part-time individuals that pay tremendously well.

These ideas will help you will find going toward finding a high paying part-time job, even in today’s tough market.

You know your job is at risk. You’ve either been told directly or you see the signs. There have been cutbacks over the past several months: limited travel, a compensation freeze, contract employees have been released, the leadership team is spending more and more time behind closed doors. Now your boss isn’t talking to you as often. And, when she does, it’s short and very business-like. Maybe there’s just nothing to say now, and nobody is interested in chatting about the weekend when the business is in this state. No one wants to be seen as not having their nose to the grindstone.

Time to hit the job boards. No sense in waiting any longer. If other employees in your department are released, you will just be chasing the same opportunities in the job market. Don’t get left standing at the curb! Besides, why stay? The best that could happen is that you won’t lose your job. Other firms are making profit, growing, even expanding. Why should you just sit on the sidelines?

Now… you are spending every non-working waking moment at the PC, surfing the web, perusing the job boards, and applying to open positions. You threw yourself at this task with a vengeance. You have applied to a gazillion postings and have gotten… nothing from a human being. You’ve received the automated, “Thanks for your application” emails and even a snail mail from one company. But, not one HR manager or recruiter has called or emailed in response to your job applications. You even called a few of the organizations and got nowhere or talked to someone that told you the company has received a lot of responses to its ad, and that someone will contact you directly if interested.

This is for the birds. You’re tired. No, not tired; exhausted. You are not getting enough sleep. You’re grumpy and irritable, certainly not at your best. If it shows at work (and how could it not?) you are just making yourself an easy mark. Maybe you are aiming too high. There would surely be more opportunities if you just lowered your sites a little. Maybe you could relocate. Or you could sign up for one of those full time travel assignments.

So, within another week, that’s what you are doing. You are a machine, applying to almost any position that sounds like something you’ve either done or thought about doing. You’re willing to completely sell out at this point. You have no self esteem left. You are avoiding your friends (your successfully employed friends). You start looking at everyone you see in public differently, an ponder if you could do what they do better. Wondering if you could manage two jobs in order to make ends meet. You would be spending less time working than you are working now between your day job and your job search. And there wouldn’t be the stress.

Stop! What’s wrong here? Why can’t you get an answer to your applications? This is ridiculous. You might have overestimated your own market value previously, but not to this extent. Just a few weeks ago you felt safe and confident in your position. You were making a significant contribution to your department, to the firm as a whole. Customers sent you accolades thanking you and your team. You got a great performance review last year; you’ve always received great reviews. You’re still the same professional, aren’t you? So, what’s different? Why do you feel like you are just putting your resume in the trash bin?

Well, here’s the thing. The market has changed dramatically since your last job search, so you must change your approach. The Internet has made positions so much more available than ever before. Just look at how many places you’ve sent your resume. A opening that might have received several dozen applicants five years ago now receives hundreds or more, depending on the position, the location, and how widely they advertise. Every HR department has software now that manages their job applicants. Applications are presented online to a screener or the hiring manager before even being printed, and only the best (or most interesting) ever get more than 5-8 seconds of the right person’s attention.

It makes little difference if you have a great resume with all the right stuff. Well, it eventually matters, but if your resume doesn’t get read you won’t get a response. And if you don’t get a response, you won’t get an interview. And if you don’t get an interview… hopefully, you see my point.

What makes the difference is your cover letter! If you have just a few seconds to catch someone’s attention, it’s going to be with your cover letter. You probably have a stock cover letter that you’ve massaged here and there for specific opportunities, but for the most part, you’ve probably been sending out the same average, don’t-pay-any-attention-to-me cover letter for weeks.

A great cover letter has a specific structure and each component has a purpose. If you’re missing one of the key components, your cover letter and resume are not doing their job, and you are not going to get the response you are looking for. All you want is a chance to speak to a real person, to explain the value you can bring. You may still not be the best candidate for every opening you apply to (there is a lot of good talent out there), but you can improve your odds to 1 out of 2 or 3, instead of 1 out of 100 (or more).

The next step is yours… keep doing what you are doing, or do something different. What did Einstein say about the definition of insanity?

Check out our website for help on writing an effective cover letter.

MyExecutiveCompass is an employment portal dedicated to helping candidates differentiate themselves in today’s difficult market. Candidates can find advice on how to deal with many job search challenges as well as cover letter templates and resume software to make the job search process more fruitful.