DALLAS, TX -- "Nearly everyone has been in the position before where they know it's time to find a new job but they have absolutely no clue of where to begin" states Sherrie Dvorak, Lead Recruiter with Dallas based placement agency, Frontline Source Group. Dvorak suggests that the following essential steps be taken before engaging in a full-fledged job hunt.

1. Have an idea of what you want to do. List things that you are good at doing and things you enjoy doing. Take these functions and build a search around them.
2. Take note of what really motivates you. Whether it's salary range, top notch benefits, or the satisfaction you get in performing certain duties, make sure that these top motivators are included in your next job.
3. Note the location. Very often, people focus on the money or the company name, while totally overlooking the duration of the commute.
4. Think about the type of people with whom you enjoy working. Your co-workers can make a job great or make it seem like the worst job ever.
   

"Before you ever begin your job search, the most important thing you can do for yourself is to look out for yourself" states Dvorak. "Keep these 4 major points in mind before jumping into your next job and you will find yourself in a happier job life."

If you are in the middle of a job search, recruiters can be your friend - or your foe. They have the power to keep you out of the hiring process or to introduce you to corporate hiring decision makers. The quality of your resume plays a key role in determining how recruiters will treat you in the job market. It pays to make sure your resume is recruiter friendly.

There are 3 elements to a recruiter-friendly resume:

1. Focus
2. Core competencies or transferable skills
3. Accomplishments

If your resume lacks any of these crucial elements, then you are probably not capturing the attention you deserve, and you are missing out on important interview opportunities.

1. Focus: Since a recruiter's time is at a premium, they must know your career focus within seconds of opening your resume. If your career focus isn't clearly stated, you can't assume the reader will take the time to search through your resume for clues. Most recruiters consider "Career Objective" statements worthless if they contain no real information about
the specific position you are looking for and the industry expertise you offer. The best objective statements are concise and to the point.

2. Core competencies or transferable skills: Once a recruiter understands your focus, he/she will want to know if you have the required core competencies or transferable skills to accomplish the job. A thorough research of employer job descriptions will help you identify the core competencies your resume must feature.

You'll capture and hold recruiter attention by including only those core competencies relating specifically to your focus. Be careful not to muddy up your personal marketing message by including extraneous skills. If you remember the all-important rule of relevancy, you'll go a long way toward keeping the reader's attention on your key skills.

3. Accomplishments: Once your resume has made it through the initial screening for focus and skills, the recruiter will want to know how you stack up against other candidates. Remember, with record-high resume response to job openings, recruiters need good, solid reasons to recommend you for consideration over the mountain of other candidates. Clear,
concisely stated accomplishments are the best way to distinguish yourself from your competition.

Whether the recruiter works for one corporation or represents many corporate clients as a third-party recruiting consultant, he or she must be able to give valid reasons for promoting you as a viable candidate. You can make their job infinitely easier by including the information they need - and bring your resume to the top of the candidate pile. When your resume sells itself, you gain advantage points, and make the recruiter look good as well.

For optimum impact, write accomplishments that illustrate the strength of your core competencies, transferable skills and focus. An accomplishment is only valuable to your resume if it promotes the skills your target employers are looking for. Remember the rule of relevancy as you craft each of your accomplishment statements.

In today's extremely competitive job market, employers rely heavily on recruiters to screen out all but the top few applicants. With a recruiter-friendly resume you'll beat out your competition as the employer's first choice to interview.

Deborah Walker , President of Alpha Advantage, Inc., is a nationally respected career coach with extensive experience as a former headhunter and corporate recruiter. Her resume and career advice is featured on more than 3,000 websites and published in professional association newsletters nationwide.