“Help me find a job” is not the right approach in today’s competitive jobs market. The best way to complete a successful career and job search today is not to look for others for help; it’s to look at you.

The best job applicants today are confident. That’s because they know they’ve taken all the steps they need to land a new job, even if the national unemployment rate remains far too high.

Do you want to be one of these confident job seekers? Do you want to stop asking everyone you know to help you find a job?

If so, take these steps to conduct the best job search possible:

Networking Still Your Best Option

The best job search advice anyone can receive today is simple: you have to network. Networking is always the best way to find a job. After all, you never know which of your business contacts, former bosses, and past co-workers will clue you in to a hot job lead or let you know when a nearby company is ready to expand.

In today’s job market, though, networking is more important than ever. After all, by the time you see that job ad at the online employment sites, so have 100 or more other similarly qualified candidates.

Finding Work is not a Part-Time Activity

Make finding work your full-time job: If you’re unemployment, consider finding a new position to be your full-time job. You can’t hunt for work on a part-time basis today. There is simply too much competition out there for every job.

This means that you should schedule your days just as you would if you were going into the office. Reserve specific times for networking, working on your resume, practicing interview questions and answers, and scouring the Internet for new workplace trends. The harder you work at finding a job, the shorter your job search will be.

Social Media Matters

Don’t ignore social media: It’s easy to let sites such as Twitter and Facebook waste your days. But social media sites can also prove to be indispensable tools in your hunt for a new job. With these sites, you can instantly inform your business contacts that you are looking for work. You can also communicate directly with any of your contacts that happen to work at companies that interest you.

Consider sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook as a way to conduct high-tech networking.

Do you need help with you career and job search? Then sign up for our Get Hired Bootcamp. Our experts can help you land your new this year.