[Hooman Ghayouri]

Five new ways to look for a job

It's a constantly evolving world and technology touches every aspect of it, including searching for a job. While the methods may be changing, the tried-and-true goal of sending resume to employer hasn't changed – but it isn't the only way to get hired. Of course, the in-person networking approach will likely never disappear, and shouldn't be discounted. However, if you feel you've done it all and are still without a paycheck, consider these new ways to bring home the bacon.

1. Bid on it
Freelancers may already be familiar with this set up: projects are posted and professionals "bid" on the work, allowing the employer to pick based on skills and cost. This is essentially the same set up that happens when you get an estimate on your roof, for example. You will get multiple bids and choose the one you think is the best bang for your buck. Companies like Bidhire.com and the currently under construction, Jobaphile.com allow users to search for, post, and bid on different jobs.
Posting the compensation upfront can save time for both parties. Employers will know what the market thinks the job is worth, and employees won't waste their time on jobs they feel won't pay enough. In the same vein, some job posting sites, such as Jooble.com, make it easy to filter postings by salary level

2. Reject a Rejection
We've likely all been there; you were one of the final candidates for a job, perhaps making it through several interviews, but in the end you weren't selected. In the past, you probably felt disappointed, then moved on to other possible opportunities. But what if you took the time to formally respond? Sending a letter, email, or calling the hiring manager directly can place you first in their memory should their selected candidate fall through. Be sure to be polite and unemotional, and emphasize how much you would like to work with them in the future. Parting on a sweet, professional note could be the difference between getting the call for that position (or positions in the future) or not.

3. Offer a Cash Reward
This is a tricky situation, but there have been reports of it working out. Offering a cash reward for a tip that turns into a job could be just the boost you are looking for. Some may feel that this tactic comes off as desperate, but others argue it's creative and speaks to the determination of the candidate.

4. Social Media CVs
Feelings are mixed about overloading your resume with fancy graphics, the primary reason for which is compatibility issues. If the hiring manager can't open your resume or view it properly, the likelihood of them tracking you down to get a readable version isn't high. You can solve this problem in a few ways. One, if you are attaching a graphical resume, consider attaching a standard Word version as well, noting in the email or cover letter that it is there should there be any technical issues.

A second option is to create a website that hosts your resume. This reduces the chances of incompatibility, but may introduce security issues if the hiring manager is unwilling to follow a strange link. However, sites like VisualCV.com can help you easily create and manage an internet-based resume, even controlling who is able to view it.

To get even more creative, consider building Twitter or Facebook profiles that take advantage of photo placement. As reported on Digital Buzz Blog, the creative team, "Wonder Years" (Bas van de Poel and Daan van Dam) got the attention of their new employer Boondoogle by creating multiple Twitter accounts and selecting the profile picture of each to be a specific letter. By selecting them to appear on their main Twitter page as recent followers, the letters spelled out "HIRE US."

In a fairly recent update, Facebook added a carousel of images to the top of each profile, which the user can select, so you can pull the same trick - just make sure it's your professional Facebook account, and not the one you used in college. By selecting appropriate pictures, for example, of words or letters to spell out phrases like "TOP FINANCE PROFESSIONAL," you can create a real impact.

5. Search Twitter
Twitter is a vast universe of 140-character messages, but many companies do post their jobs there. You can start by following companies you'd like to work for and by doing searches manually, or by relevant hashtags. You can also take advantage of sites like TwitJobSearch.com, which help to streamline the process. This way, you can filter results by location, date tweeted, salary and job type. You can also set email alerts so the results go straight to your inbox.

The Bottom Line
If you feel like you've hit a wall in your job search, or that you're always just one step behind, these easy tricks can help your search be more effective

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