There are numerous reasons why you might be having a difficult time finding the right job, and many of them are out of your control. A soft job market and the fact that you remind your prospective employer of her ex, are two that you cannot do much about.

However, there are important factors and strategies within your control that need your attention in order to maximize your job search efforts. Consider the following questions to determine if you might be undermining your own success. By taking these steps, you might reverse your pattern and realize your goal.

1. Do you present yourself in a professional way?
Research shows that people make an initial impression in the first 30 seconds. Give some thought to what you'll wear before your interview and make sure it's been recently pressed and laundered. Appear well groomed and you may get an invitation for a second interview; give little thought to how you look and you're not likely to return.

2. Are your résumé and cover letter tailored to the specific job and skill requirements?
It's not that you need to rewrite a different résumé for each job, however, it is important that your résumé presents important key words that appear in the job posting. While your résumé can be tweaked for each job, your cover letter should be customized and fresh each time you apply for a job. Cite requirements and examples of when you have demonstrated them and say how you are qualified rather than why you are so interested in the job.

3. Do you consistently follow through?
A thank you, whether or hand written or Emailed, can be a determining factor in whether or not you are invited for a second interview. After the initial interview, ask for the person's business card so you'll have what you need to accurately follow up. Mention something that was said during the interview as well as remind him or her about why you are confident that you are the right person for the job.

4. Is your job search strategy diversified?
While looking for jobs online is convenient, it is not effective as your only strategy. Limit yourself to an hour or so per day for online searches. The majority of your time and effort should be on networking and informational interviewing to uncover job leads and prospects or to speak with individuals to determine what you want to do next.

5. Do you indulge in negative thinking?
Transitions provide fertile ground for fear to grow. Where there is fear there is worry and negative thinking—neither of which will support you in your job search. Stay focused on the outcome you desire and resist the tendency to deal with the unknown by conjuring up negative "what if" scenarios. They will only raise your anxiety and hinder your ability to put your best foot forward. Stay positive and be open to support from others.

If you have spent time, effort, and perhaps even money crafting a great résumé that captures your marketable skills and experience in an attractive format, you may not be happy with the document your prospective employer actually receives.

Employers' submission requirements vary, but many, in an effort to avoid viruses associated with attached files, ask candidates to cut and paste their résumé and cover letter into an email. There's no mystery as to what they will see with those instructions: a plain and simple document that is distinguished from others solely by its content. In that case, it is imperative that your information is clear, concise and that it contains pertinent key words from the job posting as well as examples of how you have demonstrated the required skills.

When prospective employers accept attachments, consider sending your documents in a pdf format, rather than a Word file. The pdf (portable document format) format is a "photo" of your document that can not be modified. With this format, you can be certain that the integrity of your documents remains in tact, which is often an issue if the recipient uses a different platform (Mac vs pc).

Pay close attention to the employer's instructions for submitting your résumé and cover letter. You can avoid surprises by first sending your documents to a friend to make sure it is consistent with the original version.

Finally, I suggest that you mail a paper copy of your résumé and cover letter the same day you submit them online. It's always a good idea to call to confirm that your material actually arrived at its destination and use this contact to inquire about the hiring process and timeframe at the same time!

Recently I was touched by the story of a friend who, after 26 years of dedicated and exemplary service to an organization, was not recognized by senior management upon her retirement. While her peers and constituents celebrated her with gifts and praise, her boss said virtually nothing to recognize her work and commitment. In fact, she may not have even said goodbye if my friend had not taken the initiative of going to her office to leave a key.

That same week I spoke with an outplacement client who had been laid off after 12 years due to downsizing. While I am helping him set a new direction complete with resume and a networking strategy, that task is more difficult because his self confidence has taken a hit. It seems that there was no official "thank you for your years of service" send off for this person either. The good wishes that were expressed by his peers during a final staff luncheon did not make up for the lack of acknowledgement from management for his work of many years.

In both of these cases, it would have taken only a few minutes and no expense for the organization's leadership to make a positive lasting impression, rather than a negative one that resulted in ill will and a sense of failure.

Giving a verbal and written thank you and an acknowledgement of a person's specific contributions to an organization as they leave, may seem obvious to many of us. But, I can assure you that this simple yet profound gesture is too often overlooked to the detriment of both the employee and the organization.

"Gratitude is the memory of the heart." ~Jean Baptiste Massieu

Whether you are the applicant or the prospective employer, it is essential for you to attend to the details of the job search process from start to finish. A job offer or your company's reputation may be riding on how well you take care of business.

To get right to the point, below is a list of important steps in a job search and the appropriate follow through actions to take:

Applicant's list:
Apply for a job.
- Keep a current list of the jobs to which you have applied and the dates of submission of your documents. If you apply on line, send a hard copy to the hiring individual by mail.
- Inform your references of your application and give them the job posting as well as an idea of how you would add value to this job.
- Follow up with the prospective employer to confirm receipt of your documents after a week or 10 days if you have not heard from them. Ask about their timeline for the search process.
- Make a note on your calendar to contact them again if the next date has passed by which you were told you would hear from them.
- If you are contacted for an interview, ask with whom you will be meeting (titles and names) as well as how long the interview should last.
- Ask your interviewer(s) for their business cards as you leave the interview. Inquire about the next step in the process.
- Send a follow up thank you to each person with whom you interviewed. An email thank you is fine, but a hand written note is a nice touch. Reference something in particular that was said during the interview, so your note does not appear to be a "standard" one.
- If you are seriously considering the position, stay in touch with the prospective employer, especially after any deadlines have passed. If you know you are no longer interested, contact the employer and ask to be removed from their candidate list.
- Be patient in waiting for the employer's decision, but do your part to stay in touch with them and provide any information requested in a timely manner.
- If you do not hear from the prospective employer regarding their decision, do your best to get closure on the process. You may have to be persistent if they do not have a plan in place to contact applicants who were not selected. Nonetheless, it is important for you to know your status and move on.
- If the employers' lack of follow through is unprofessional (and I've heard many examples of this), consider whether or not this behavior is reflective of the way they do business, and whether or not you want to work in this type of environment.

Employer's List:
Post a job.
- Make sure you have a current job description for the job that you have posted.
- Determine the person in your organization who is responsible for any inquiries about this job and provide them with the necessary information and timeframes to handle questions.
- Create a timeline for the hiring process.
- Acknowledge all applicantions upon receipt.
- When you eliminate an applicant, send a letter acknowledging that they are no longer being considered for the position.
- When you set up interviews, inform the applicant as to whom they will meet, the interviewer's title, and how long the interview should last.
- After the interview, give the applicant an indication as to when they will hear from you regarding a decision or the next step in the hiring process.
- If for any reason, this timeframe changes, contact applicants with new dates.
- Once you have have extended an offer that was accepted, inform all other candidates that were still in the running of your decision. Thank them for their time and effort.

Some people may think that these steps are obvious. However, I can assure you that a week does not pass when I do not hear about an applicant or employer's lack of follow through in the job search process. It is often the simple courtesies and actions we take that make the ultimate difference—in this case, whether or not you are offered a job or whether someone in the marketplace sees yours as a professionally-run organization.

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