There is no one size fits all answer to effective job searching in, what everyone agrees, is the toughest employment market in years. But one coach I talked to emphasized that it all begins with having the right attitude.”The first thing I work on is helping people change their mindset,” explains Eileen Wolkstein, a career consultant and executive coach. Sure it’s a tough economy, she says, and there may be fewer jobs but there are opportunities. “If you are in a mindset that there’s nothing available, it’s self-destructive.” Wolkstein is also the Director or the NYU Silver School of Social Work’s Division of Lifelong Learning and Professional Development.

Another attitude adjustment technique Wolkstein suggests to her clients is to reinforce their market value. She advises that they write out “hero stories” to re-identify their strengths. It enables them to remember the potential they have and reminds them what they can offer a new employer.

“Go back to the most recent time when you felt most successful and most on your game,” she advises. “Hold onto that image.”

Once a job seeker has taken on the right attitude to engage with the job market, Wolkstein says, they are in for a challenge. But one she’s seeing her clients succeed at.

“Job seekers in this economy must be more resilient, more creative, and more assertive,” she emphasizes. And for many of Wolkstein’s clients, stepping up their game means coming outside of their comfort zone.

“People are afraid to talk to someone they haven’t spoken to in six months,” she says. “I can’t network that way, I can’t call that person, they say.” But Wolkstein urges job seekers to overcome their feelings of shame and fears of networking rejection. “The worst that can happen is that you won’t make a connection.”

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My first instinct is that handwritten anything is outdated. But I decided to check with a cross section of hiring managers to get their opinions. To my surprise, most of my informal survey group said it was a good idea.Included in my sample were men and women from traditional and digital businesses, agencies and media organizations, ages ranging from late 20s to late 50s, and all at least at a director level.

Most everyone agreed that handwritten notes are more thoughtful, personal, warmer and a surefire way to stand out from the pack. The downside is timing. The U.S. mail is slow and may not always be reliable. Take note though, it only seemed to be an issue for digital executives and by no means all of them.

Here are some specific comments on the pluses of handwritten responses:

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The name game can cut both ways, so think twice before you decide to play. Mentioning the right name can be a conversational ice breaker. The wrong name not only won’t help, but in fact may hurt your chances to make the right impression. Drop too many names and it could mean game over.Know your Audience: Do some homework on the person who will be interviewing you. LinkedIn is a good place to start your investigation. Find out where he or she has worked in the past, and what clients he or she has worked with. Your goal should be to get a better sense of whose name you might want to drop. If your research leads to someone you have in common with the interviewer, better still. Reach out to that mutual friend and find out as much as you can in advance of the interview.

Unintended Reference: Before you drop a name, consider that you may be providing a reference. It’s not unusual for people in the hiring chain – recruiters, human resources executives or hiring managers – to do some off the record reference checks. Any name you mention becomes an easy starting point to check you out.

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Everyone is all a twitter (pun intended) these days with social networking sites. We’ve got profiles and friend lists, groups, photos and tweets! But how does all this translate into superior networking opportunities or better yet job opportunities? Great question.It seems to be an accepted fact today that these social tools aid in expanding and growing your network or your brand and can lead to endless opportunities. But in 2006, two years after Mark Zuckerberg unleashed Facebook onto the Web, job candidates were warned of the consequences of allowing potential employers access to your profile. While this warning was meant mainly for recent college grads who often displayed photos showcasing their undergraduate escapades, a resounding “beware” rang out across the internet and many users feared mixing the personal with the professional. But those days are indeed over. Privacy options and more caution in content have quelled these concerns over the past three years and now, literally everybody’s doing it. But don’t be ashamed if you’re amongst the late bloomers, and there are many, who are still struggling to use these sites to their highest potential.

Firstly, sites like LinkedIn, which are geared towards the professional crowd should indeed be treated as a virtual resume. Recruiters and hiring managers frequent these spots to find candidates as well as to check on applicants’ backgrounds. Aside from developing a shining profile filled with recommendations from colleagues and former employers, the key to establishing a presence on LinkedIn is to connect, connect, connect. The more connections you have, the more networks you cross into it and the more likely you are to be found in a recruiter’s search and likewise the more likely you are to find someone you’re looking to network with. The search function on this site allows people to view the profiles of those they are connected to and those that are connected to their contacts. Think of it like six degrees of Kevin Bacon. And like Facebook, you can always keep your contacts private to protect them from anyone looking to swipe up your hard earned Rolodex.

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