Bounce back from past disappointments, and seize new opportunities.

It is easy to fall into traps when job searching. Many people identify the one “perfect fit” job and think “that’s totally me; I’ve got this!” At that point, you put all of your hopes and dreams in one basket, and you’re likely to be severely disappointed if you never hear back or don’t get a job offer after an interview.

Another pitfall is relying on one personal or professional connection to get into your dream company. Just because you know someone who works there doesn’t mean he or she can get you the job. There is typically a range of players involved – from managers to human resource professionals – and the person you know may have absolutely no responsibility for the job you want.

While it’s easier said than done, you need to remain positive through the search or else your disillusionment (and possibly desperation) will come across. Here’s how you can stay optimistic when your search isn’t going the way you’d hoped:

Spread your professional net wide. You can no longer rely on landing a job through only submitting job applications online. It is possible to get a job this way, but it’s more likely if you have an internal contact. Today, you need to use all avenues available to you. Are you doing the following things as part of your search?

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