If you’re still in college or have recently graduated, chances are there are loads of career finding resources available to you through your school or alma mater.

1. Career Fairs. Don’t turn your nose down at these too quickly. You may glance at the list of companies and see nothing of interest. Regardless, it’s a good idea to put on some slacks, grab your resume and spend half an hour checking it out. A company you’ve never heard of may have a position that would suit your skill set perfectly. Career fairs are also among the few opportunities for face-to-face impressions with recruiters.
2. Alumni Associations. Speak to someone in the alumni office early and often. They can do amazing things for your career search like send you a list of alumni working in your field in your hometown. A resume can do a lot more for your career search if you have an employee pushing it through for you. Most alumni are happy to lend a hand to eager new graduates from their alma mater. You could also use their contact information to set up information interviews.
3. Free Services. People at your school are actually paid to help students like you find a job. Use them. Aside from helping you tackle the daunting search, they can also help you determine what types of jobs your background would help you excel at. Some will even offer to look over your resume or cover letter.

Some people find a job after only a few weeks of searching. How do they do it? Well there are many different explanations depending on the individual, but in this difficult job climate, some career-seekers are turning to unconventional strategies. You might even call them guerrilla tactics.

A man in Arizona named Mark Thomas found his new job in only six weeks by using a few unique strategies. His objective was to circumvent the HR department and the typical route of applying for highly competitive positions. Thomas’s strategies ended up presenting a networking opportunity that turned into his new career.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune listed his three primary tactics as:

1. The Job Shopping List

2. The Guerrilla Resume

3. The Coffee Cup Caper

Intrigued? Click here to find out more about Thomas’s guerrilla strategies in the Star Tribune.

Right now is a scary time for many of those applying for jobs and internships. It’s that time when most of your applications are in and you’re just waiting for the phone to ring, praying you’ll be chosen for an interview. The even more terrifying part—your friend telling you about the interviews they have scheduled for the next few weeks. Even if they’re not applying in the same field as you, it can be trying to hear about your friends’ success while you anxiously await your fate.

Keep in mind, many companies do not respond back until early to mid April. Until then, if the stress of the situation is driving you crazy, find other ways to ensure you’ll have something to do in the coming months. Applied to all of your ideal positions already? There are hundreds of other companies who could benefit from your skill set.

While you’re waiting to hear, apply to some of the less glamorous, perhaps even unpaid (sorry), internships. That way you’re still ensuring you’ll be building your resume over the summer. You also might get a few interviews set up sooner and ward off some of your anxiety. Non-profits are an excellent place to gain experience. Often times, they have small staffs, so you’re allowed greater control over your work and a wider range projects. Like any small company, they need people with backgrounds in everything from event planning to finance to research. Another plus, their positions are often part-time, so if they are unpaid, you can find a part-time job to keep your bank account afloat.

Sometimes you can’t predict when a networking opportunity will arise. You may find yourself seated on a plane next to an executive from a company in your area. Or perhaps you end up in line at the grocery store with the human resources manager for a prominent organization. You can benefit from these chance meetings even more if you have something tangible to hand them.

Obviously you’ve been talking to this person for a minute to find out their occupation. If the conversation’s going well and you want to show your sincere interest, hand them a personalized business card. Don’t be forceful about it. Just tell them, casually, that you’d love to know if any entry-level opportunities open up. On one hand, this may cause the executive to give you his or her own business card. Regardless, someone on the inside now has a permanent reminder of you and it may help you get your foot in the door the next time they’re hiring.

If your design skills are lacking, try using a business card template or check out websites like Moo.com. Take your pick from elegant, edgy and classic styles. The information should include your name, email, phone number, and a brief description of your skill set. For this you can also give a self-described title, like Freelance Writer or Software Tinkerer. You may also choose to include aspects like your school and major if you’re still a student, your Twitter account if it’s professional and updated frequently, or your personal blog. Start by printing only 10-20 because you may need to update your cards in the future. Once you have them, always keep a few on hand. You never know the next time you’ll need to impress someone.

“According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, it now takes 29.7 weeks to find a job, on average.” If you count that up, it equals more than seven months of tedious work. So how can you stay positive throughout the process? Harvey Mackay, a Midwest business leader, has some advice for the many people striving to land the career of their dreams.

Take each setback or disappoint and make it into a learning opportunity. It may sound cliché, but this will not only improve your attitude going forward, it will also improve your chances for the next prospect. If you made it past the resume stage and past a phone interview, but lost out after your in-person interview, this may be your clue to pinpointing a weakness. Think back and analyze your responses and your body language in the interview. You may stumble upon some great insights you can apply next time you’re in the hot seat.

Also, don’t refrain from setting the bar too high. Seek out the position of your dreams. You won’t lose out by contacting a hiring manager for a position you don’t think you’re qualified for. At the very least, present your position honestly and ask if they have any other opportunities with where your skill set could be applied. Putting your interest out there never hurts. You never know when someone may feel a pull to your personality and decide to take a chance on you.

To read more of Mackay’s advice on staying positive, check out this article.

Many companies are now using phone interviews as an initial screening process for job applicants. Don’t be fooled by this; Interviewing over the telephone requires just as much preparation and tact. You are still only one in the midst of many other applicants so make yourself stand out.

Be prepared, just as you would for an in person interview. Though you could technically wear pajamas and take the call from your bed, you’ll feel more professional and prepared if you’re dressed nicely and sitting up straight in a chair. Also, like any other interview, research the company beforehand and have intelligent questions to ask about its business structure or the position you’re applying for. The most significant advantage a phone interview can provide is that you can have notes in front of you. Write out notes ahead of time on both questions you can ask and possible answers you may use.

In a phone interview, you should concentrate even more on the eloquence of your speech than you would in person. Pausing or saying ‘um’ too much is more evident over the phone because the interviewer is concentrating solely on your voice. You also want the interviewer to remain engaged, so keep your energy level up and stay enthusiastic until the end. Before hanging up, briefly reiterate your interest in the position so you leave on a positive note.

A recent article from the Minneapolis Star Tribune lists five questions you should always be prepared for in an interview. Here’s a brief rundown along with some extra 1stGig.com tips.

Many employers will begin with an intro question like, “Tell me about yourself.” Be prepared for this with a one-to-two minute recap of your background and interests. You don’t need to memorize this as a speech, but you should know it well enough to sound eloquent and prepared. It’s often your first real impression on the interviewer.

Employers will also want to understand your work ethic and your past success, so they may ask something like, “Tell me about a goal that you’ve set for yourself and how you went about achieving it.” When preparing for an interview, always think back on your past experiences to have them top-of-mind. Your successes, your mistakes or how you dealt with a difficult co-worker in the past could all be useful material to discuss at your interview.

Everyone always dreads the negative questions like, “What are your greatest weaknesses?” That’s why you need to be prepared with a suitable answer ahead of time. Try listing all of the reasons you’ve been stressed over your work in the past. Looking at the root of that stress, whether it was perfectionism, procrastination or something else, see if you can spin it into a positive quality. If you admit to your tendency to procrastinate, also describe how it taught you to thrive under deadline pressure. Whatever you say, make sure it’s true and that it suits the position you’re applying for.

For the entire Star Tribune article, go to The Five Most-Asked Interview Questions.

Social networking sites targeted at professionals are emerging everywhere, from LinkedIn to BrazenCareerist to YoungEntrepreneur. If you want to utilize these sites, take advantage of them thoroughly. They offer lots of features you can benefit from in your career search.

Many profiles include an area where you can write a summary of yourself. Write a concise description of your background and aspirations, but make sure to include key words that employers may search for when looking for new talent. Join a few groups relevant to your industry or career choice and feel free to post articles or comment on other postings. You never know when a professional might take notice of your insights.

Some sites provide a recommendation function, so if you have a good relationship with a previous boss or supervisor, consider asking him or her to recommend you. Also, take the opportunity to connect with former co-workers or students you worked with in the past. They may hear of career opportunities at their workplace one day and think of you. Stay on their radar by updating your status bi-weekly.

Social networking is becoming omnipresent, but traditional networking is still an incredibly effective way to boost your career hunt. Why? Because people are more apt to remember you or want to help you if you’ve actually met and spoken. For those wishing to create a network from scratch, consider Informational Interviews. They’re a great way to learn about the ins and outs of the industry you’d like to work in, get face time with professionals, and make contacts who may remember you the next time they’re hiring.

To begin the process, start researching companies in your area you’d be interested in working for. If you aspire to a more lofty position, like anchoring the NBC news, reach out to companies more likely to hire at entry level, like your local news station. Next, find the contact information of someone with a position you see yourself in. Contact them either by phone or email with a very succinct description of your background, your aspirations and what you want from them. Stress that you are only seeking information about the industry (i.e. not a job) and ask if they’d be willing to grant you a 20-minute informational interview, in person or over the phone, at their convenience. Arrive at the interview promptly, dressed professionally, with a list of questions. Keep track of time to make sure you don’t go over twenty minutes. The interview should flow like a conversation, so feel free to respond to their answers and demonstrate your knowledge of the industry and company.

When the interview is over, thank them, and ask if it would be ok for you to keep in touch by email two or three times throughout the year in case they hear of any interesting opportunities. Also, inquire if they could recommend anyone else for you to speak with at another company or in another department so you can continue to learn and make connections. After you leave, send them a hand-written thank you note, addressing some of the points you considered most helpful so they know you found it a valuable experience. Finally, if they said it was ok to keep in touch—follow up!