Are you ready to change careers or begin your job search in 2014? Searching for a job can be stressful with many people not knowing where to begin or what you should look for. Here are seven tips that will help you land your dream job!

1. Don’t mesh in with the crowd, make yourself stand out.

Odds are most of the jobs you see posted online have had hundreds of resumes submitted to them however you shouldn’t take this as a discouragement, but rather an opportunity to showcase your skills and standout. Ensure your resume is clean and tailored to the job position. Job searches are all about finding the best fit for each other. Demonstrate and show your uniqueness with your resume, application, and cover letter.

2. You only get one chance to make a good first impression.

As simple as it sounds, clean up your resume and cover letter. Make sure there isn’t any grammatical errors and that your application is personalized to that specific job posting. In the job hunt work, one size does not fit all and it’s best to tailor each application to specific job postings.

3. Use social media to your advantage.

Social media outlets like Facebook, LinkedIn, or other networks have become a major tool for recruiters to get a snapshot on their applicants. Finding information about someone on the web is becoming easier and easier so it’s best to clean that up and have your profile show your professional side.

4. Go into interviews ready for the job.

A common mistake job seekers make is they go into interviews as being just informational or as a lottery pick. That is not the right approach. You should go into the interview with confidence ready to land the job and ready to start. Don’t sell yourself short by being unprepared, go in ready to take on the world.

5. Be aware of the opportunities around you.

It’s best to always keep an open mind throughout your job search. There are countless opportunities around you and its best not to limit yourself to one company or one location. Different locations and different companies have job openings so why limit yourself and your chances? An open mind is key to a successful job search and accepting that will increase your chances of finding the perfect match for you.

6. Be realistic and specific.

As a job search engine, it’s always best to be as specific as you can in your job search. Searching for "marketing manager" will bring better job results than searching for "marketing." Our job database will match you to job listings specifically to the keywords you type in so it’s best to be as specific as you can.

7. Connections are key.

Searching for a job can be much simpler and less stressful if you use the available resources around you. There are countless tools available on the web and using these can dramatically increase your chance of success. Career Source Network offers all these tools in one centralized location along with available support if you need further assistance. Finding connections to your desired company may give you the edges you need to get that one-up on the next competitor.

Job searching can be scary at times but it’s best to prepare as this will limit the stress and time incurred throughout the process. Always maintaining a positive attitude and keeping an open mind will change your outlook on things and you may find yourself applying to things you never thought of. We hope these tips will help guide you to a successful job search.