Activity	Job Seeker's Thinking	Market Reality
Response to Advertising	My big chance	Small chance
Hours spent filing in application forms, drafting a letter of application, sprucing up the CV, then waiting.	Great, a chance to show off my CV, list my skills. The more information I can give, the more they'll be impressed.	How many other applicants hit the desk in the same post? Someone will be shortlisting. How does yours stand out? How do you convince the employer that you are worth talking to?
Unsolicited Application	Keep shooting	Long shot
This is much more than yet another CV sent out on a 'spray and pray' basis. A well-aimed direct application can sometimes prompt an employer to do something about a new job or solving an old problem.	And I'll hit something eventually. At least it gets me noticed.	Is the recipient going to be intrigued, pushed to action, or irritated at yet another piece of junk mail? It all depends on how well targeted your CV is, what the accompanying message says, and whether you press the right buttons by knowing about the needs of the company.
Recruitment Consultant or Employment Agency	Guiding hands	Check your assumptions
Do your homework - find out which consultants are regularly placing staff in your sector.	At last, my chances are in the hands of a recruitment	Agencies make money by placing obvious skills into obvious jobs, not being career consultants.
Achiever	My chance to shine	Collect evidence
In your job, what would be the equivalent of a "portfolio of work"? How can you present tangible evidence of what you have achieved - brochures, articles, testimonials, records of projects...? The achievements you demonstrate should be a close match to the employer's shopping list. Otherwise your prized portfolio is irrelevant.	This will really impress them. And it might - as long as what you have to offer matches what the employer needs.	It's all too easy to make claims about yourself, but you need to back them up with measurable facts. Your CV, and what you say to support your application, and your words at interview, are all assertions that you need to support by evidence. Keep good records of what you have done, copies of documents, client feedback, good appraisals. The more objective the evidence, the lower the perceived risk for the employer.
Competence-based Recruitment	A chance to demonstrate what I can do	Focus
If you are interviewed, be very clear what you have achieved and how you did it. Even if there is no formal testing, use evidence of achievement to demonstrate the same arguments.	- but daunting for many job-seekers who are unfamiliar with competence-based interviewing.	What you know, you sills and your achievements. Be prepared to come up with a range of achievement stories. Listen for the language the selector is using so you know which competencies are being sought.
Known Quantity	A way in	How do you get to be a known quantity?
I get interviewed because of the work I have done in the industry.	Keep your eyes and ears open for these opportunities, and make sure people are aware of the contribution you have made as a "fringe" member of any company.	Simple. Shine. Get to be good at your job and let others know it. Keep a record of your achievements. Write articles or circulate good ideas.
A Friend of a Friend	Who me? I don't have friends like that...	Look around you
What I need is someone who can put me on the inside track. Don't feel awkward approaching anyone and everyone - you never know whose company is offering a bonus to anyone who can recommend someone who is hired. Everyone benefits!	I don't know anybody connected/at the right level/in this field/of that age group, etc.	Yes you. Who do you know (not necessarily in work) who admires what you do and would be happy to recommend you to others? Look around you at family, friends, associates, and find out which ones have pushed opportunities towards others. Life has its natural matchmakers and fixers and they love to be known for their contacts and good judgement.
Almost Family	Old-school tie?	Becoming close means becoming wanted
I'm happy approaching this kind of company. They feel comfortable talking to me because they already know what I am like.	Beware of the problems that can arise from informal conversations: the company may not be clear that you are looking for a post or the conversations may continue endlessly without a clear decision.	This is NOT about old-boy networks - those often produce dreadful appointments. Work experience, consultancy, or simply keeping in touch are all strategies that can move you into the target's bull's eye. If you're not comfortable getting close to these people, you probably don't want to work with them anyway.