8 things the most successful job seekers always do

8 things the most successful job seekers always do8 things the most successful job seekers always doJust as the most skilled practitioners of a particular trade or occupation tend to follow a set of best practices, so, too, do those who arehighly successful at seeking employment.The good news for those who are looking for work is that these habits andactions can be learned, practiced, and perfected.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreIf youre searching for a new gig, or youre planning to start a job hunt in the next few months, here are eight things you can do toemulate the most successful job seekers.1. Tailor your resume and online profiles to the match the lage youre seekingCarefully read the job listing and any other information you can find about the role or the company. Then echo that language in your resume, your cover letter, and your LinkedIn or other profiles. Your resume is not a tattoo, nor is your LinkedIn profile, says an article from The Muse. Treat them as living, breathing documentsthroughout your job search (and career).2. Use your networkSending your resume into cyberspace over and over again is not going to help you stand out in todays job market. You need a more personal touch. Look on LinkedIn or elsewhere for friends or acquaintances who have connections to the company to which you have applied. Thenreach out to them to build rapport and express your interest. A good word from a key person may make the difference between success and failure.3. Focus on your first impressionThis advice comes from another The Muse article, which suggests that you try tobe the gold standard of first impressions, whether your initial meeting is face-to-face or virtual. Now is the time to think about your body language, your handshake, your cover letter opening lines, and your resume bullet points. Let it sink far, far into your brain that you are competing with people who are killing it on first impressions. Why not flip the script and be the one everyone else is intimidated by?4. Practice with a friendIf youve made it to the bewerbungsgesprch stage, dont go in with a fly by the seat of your pants attitude. Do your research and come up with some questions the interviewer is likely to ask. Then find a trusted friend or family member- preferably someone with experience as hiring manager- toandrang a mock interview and provide honest feedback. It may be a bit awkward at first, and their input may be tough to take, but if it helps you nail the interview, it will be worth the effort.5. Be specificIn both your resume and any interviews, dont be satisfied with clichs and standard phrases. Sure, youre a people person and hard worker, but so is everyone else applying for the job. Provide examples from your career that prove you possess those traits. This will serve dual purposes of giving your potential employers confidence in your abilities a nd providing interesting stories about you that they will remember when theyre trying to decide who to hire.6. Provide a portfolioDo this by adding relevant information to astrong but simple personal website, but alsoconsider bringing printed materials to an interview. The average person will bring a business card or a copy of their resume to an interviewa stand-out candidate will bring a portfolio folderthat includes their cover letter, resume, printed recommendations, and examples of past work, if relevant, says an article from The Balance Careers. Although it takes some extra time to print and organize these materials, you might be surprised at how far it can get you in the interview process.7. Track your effortsIf your job hunt lasts for weeks or even months, you may start to forget when you applied for which positions. This can be detrimental, especially if it leads to missed deadlines or opportunities. An article from CareerCast sayscareful tracking can help you rememberto sen d thank-you notes or follow-up questions to potential employers at the right times. Another great byproduct of tracking your efforts is the ability to create an audit trail of interactions you had along the way for each opportunity, the article says. That could help considerably the next time youre looking for a job.8. Stay positive and be patientIts a clich, but its also truelooking for a job is usually a marathon, not a sprint. As you start the process, expect it to take longer than you would like. Be patient with yourself and with the companies that receive your applications. Dont let an apparent lack of progress get you down. Positive people make a much better impression than woe is me types when it comes to interview time. Remember that, and keep on smiling.There is no silver bullet to ensure job search success, but if you follow these eight best practices, you should put yourself in an ideal position to land the gig thats right for you. Learn, practice, and perfect these skill s, and youll find that youre as much of an expert at seeking a position as you are at completing the tasks of the job you love.This article originally appeared on Flexjobs.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people