HR Consultant Erin Cross believes the key to creating a winning job search strategy lies in meticulous preparation and attention to detail, which starts with cleaning up your social media, and keeping it clean.
"Of course sites such as LinkedIn are invaluable in helping you to put yourself out there, so use them well for networking and take part in discussions and forums, if you can, so relevant people will notice you. Try joining industry associations as this can result in useful contacts.
"Remember a potential employer will likely also look at your Facebook, Snapchat or Instagram pages, so you need to be sure you are also giving a good impression of yourself in situations outside the workplace."
Cross says with the internet at your fingertips you can easily find out a great deal about the industries and the companies you think you'd like to work for - then carefully tailor your approach to them, in order to have maximum impact.
"It's important to try to get a good idea of their culture - and preferably in advance of an interview - because cultural fit is a massive factor when it comes to recruitment in the modern world."
Though it is subjective, and can sometimes be a little difficult to define, Cross says that, essentially, cultural fit means a potential employee has a personality, values and objectives that are in line with those of the company itself.
Depending on the nature of the industry you're in, or are hoping to enter, this could mean being flexible, for example, or resilient, in addition to being honest and committed. In many ways, this cultural fit aspect can be more important than your actual skills in themselves, especially if you are willing to learn and develop within the position on offer.
If that's the case and you can impart this willingness in an interview situation, you'll almost certainly increase your chances of success.
"Even the clothes you wear to interviews can tell an employer a lot about you, especially if you've gone to the trouble of researching the dress code for their particular business and have dressed accordingly for the occasion - whether that's formally, or informally," says Cross.
"You can gain further advantages by preparing yourself to discuss their business intelligently and knowledgeably and it looks particularly good if you ask genuinely thoughtful, well-informed questions too."
Though the way that you come across in person is very important, your other communications with potential employers matter too.
"They know straight away if somebody is sending a mass mail-out, filled with generic information, and it's worse still if your application or letter is filled with spelling and grammar mistakes.
"This is your best chance to catch their attention and stand out from the rest of the field, so try to resist taking the easy way and concentrate instead on producing communications at the start - and subsequently - that are clear and concise and which specifically indicate your interest in this particular company or organisation," says Cross
When it comes to the use of professional recruitment companies she says that while there are advantages and disadvantages to this approach, it certainly doesn't hurt to sign up with some.
"They can be useful in terms of convenience for employers and they're certainly good for very senior and high-powered positions where examining candidates and their history thoroughly is vital.
However, in many cases, employers are happy to talk to job-seekers directly, then keep their details on file if there isn't a suitable position available immediately."
Finally, if success doesn't come immediately in your job-hunting effort, don't lose heart.
With myriad ways in which workers and employers can now connect, perseverance and a confident, creative, approach will almost certainly pay off in the end.
