Louis Pasteur once said, "Fortune favors the prepared."  Anyone who has to work for a living should adopt this creed as their own, especially when it comes to career searches.

I find people are usually willing to help. They may not always be able to help you in the way you want or need, but folks deserve credit for trying. As someone needing help, it is your responsibility to help them help you.

If someone has a job opportunity you'd like to get, make yourself as attractive a candidate as possible. I'm not talking cosmetic surgery (although being presentable goes a long way).

Physical Appearance. Remember your parents nagging you to get a damned haircut? Well, be your own parent. Do it. First impressions are hard to forget, and how you look says a lot about the kind of person you are.  The person who dresses with care, takes time to bathe, put on clothes that fit and look appropriate in the work environment, clean and coiffed/combed, that person indicates that take pride in their appearance and will likely take pride in their work. Dress for the position above the one you're seeking.

Resumes. You want something that makes the HR/hiring manager's mouth water. You don't want to give them migraines. They probably have a stack of resumes to go through. These are busy people who either look at resumes all day til their eyes cross, or really don't have the time to look at resumes.  Make yours stand out, and show you value their time by making their lives just that little bit easier.  Take the time to make it readable, accurate, and highlight your accomplishments. Entice them with ways you've added value in past positions and start thinking about how much you can do for them. Those of you in Austin, remember there are classes at WorkSource as well as a monthly resume tweaking class at Launch Pad Job Club.

Business Cards. It's often the little things that make the difference. A business card is one of them. Include one with a resume, when you send one in. Have one to give out when you meet new people, especially hiring managers and recruiters. It's a great means of having contact information at hand, and it sure beats a napkin, especially in allergy season.

References. You know you're going to need them when you land third and fourth interviews. And in some cases, particularly contract work, you may need them at the start of the selection process. Don't wait til you need them, get them together beforehand. Ask your references to use them as contacts, and give them a copy of your resume so they can think about how to phrase their praise. Every time you provide their information for a job, let them know and give them a copy/link to the job description. And ask for endorsements on LinkedIn before you need them as well.

LinkedIn. Get your profile built, and connect to past and current peers, reports, managers, clients, partners, etc. before you actually need them. Ask for those endorsements; there are potential references, should you need them (and they've already written an endorsement, so you have a clue what they'll say about you). LinkedIn can help you cultivate a network and land a new job. I've seen it work. I've helped it work. Not using it is like putting on a cast before running a marathon. Just doesn't make sense.

Thirty Second Commercial, or Elevator Pitch. Stop with the cringing, already. It's a necessary evil. You need to be able to talk about yourself and what you do. It doesn't have to sound that canned, honest. Rehearse in front of a mirror, or friends. Just remember, it should not be your life story. Eyes glaze. Keep it short and sweet and active, and allow it to intrigue the listener, instead of putting them to sleep. It's good practice for job fairs and networking.

Interview Prep. I mean it. Buck up. Or as a friend says, put on your big girl/boy pants. Yes, it's painful, but less than being ambushed. You need to have an idea what you're going to say. If you get ambushed in an interview, 90% of the time it's from lack of preparation. Develop some stories that relate to your accomplishments in relation to challenges. And find, as Kathy Lansford of WorkSource and Launch Pad Job Club says, the jelly in the donut; find a way to sweeten the negatives that may come up. Again, in Austin, you have great resources at WorkSource and Launch Pad Job Club.