If job hunting has created activity without jobs, consider changing directions. Review what you've been doing; decide if you've done everything you can; and shift gears, if necessary.

TAKING STOCK

Many job searches don't produce results, because applicants don't fit the jobs. Linnda Durre, president of Dreams Come True Enterprises LLC in Winter Park, Fla., says that while some people approach their skills realistically, many are "grandiose, narcissistic, in delusion or totally down on themselves and think they have no skills." She advises identifying what you do well, developing a list of skills and "look(ing) at each one a different way." An activity you enjoy might contain the seed of a new occupation or industry.

Craig Ahlstrom, president of Perfect World Search LLC in Morton, Ill., advocates not "tricking yourself into doing something others have told you to do, for which you're unsuited, or looking for something not aligned with your goals and objectives. Muster the courage to determine what you want and stand fast to it."

Have you identified suitable types of work? Andy Von Kennel, co-founder of TruYuu in Dallas, Tex., manages a website producing information about "such competencies as leading, decision-making, analyzing data, relating and networking.

"If you're fantastic at analyzing data, but Company A on your list doesn't need the skill," he continues, "it's not like you'll thrive there." He tells people to move to another company that might have turned them down for lack of industry experience, and promoting the research reflecting skills they need.

TAKING ACTION

Ahlstrom says to rethink what you're about to do and be flexible. A corporate past doesn't necessarily lead to a corporate future. You could be an entrepreneur. You could also reinvent yourself for different environments or types of assignments. Perhaps you should change industries or geography or access another person's network. "Get excited about what's next," he stresses. "Make this as good as you can."

How many companies do job seekers need? Some people say one; Von Kennel counsels a hotlist of seven, changing as you obtain more information; others say many more. "Most (job seekers) select seven based on geography and market conditions," Von Kennel observes, "rather than those with their (own) talents and values ... before spending time chasing down an interview."

A strategic action plan could be extremely helpful in focusing on results you'll be achieving, intriguing interviewers and de-stressing them, according to Eric Kramer, owner of Innovative Career Services in Norristown, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia. He recommends developing one using your knowledge of your occupation to let employers know "you can add value quickly." A full 85 percent of his clients and many site visitors utilize the tool and leave it with the interviewer.

"It's a mini-business plan," Kramer points out, "a structured presentation that creates wonderful conversations. It may lead to discussing other things and immediate needs may surface. In it, set goals (for) the first 30 or 60 days."

He maintains that this tool often comes as an unexpected surprise, particularly when new graduates present it. Mention "you're going to listen 80 percent and speak 20 percent, and you'll get familiar with the email system and time-tracking system," he suggests. Regardless of experience, many people modify it for the next interview.

If your campaign has fizzled, take a new look at yourself and the companies you're targeting. If you haven't developed a strategic action plan using the information your self-assessment has produced, do it now. You'll see your contribution in a new way, through an employer's eyes.

(Dr. Mildred L. Culp welcomes your questions at culp@workwise.net. © 2012 Passage Media.)