These days, it seems like every other news story is about the economy and the job market (or apparent lack thereof). Everyone knows someone who has been laid off; people who were once looking for their next big career move are now hunkering down and riding out the storm at a job they no longer love because they are afraid to look around and end up out of work as well, and people aren't being promoted the way they used to. The amount of job turnover and open positions is down...but that doesn't mean you should lose hope.

Reports vary on the impact the economy is having on hiring, and consequently, on recruiting, but it's not all bad. Open positions might not be as easy to come by, but qualified candidates are always in demand and working with a recruiter can be a huge advantage to getting yourself noticed. Often, they have the ability to be pushy where, as an applicant, it would not be in your best interest to badger an HR manager.

Let's not forget that colleges across the country just flooded the applicant pool with recent graduates. Together, all these factors have left a lot of job seekers wondering how or when they will ever get hired.

The answer can be sooner than you'd think, if you get serious about your job search. A great first step is connecting with a recruiter who specializes in your area, as well as reaching out to your existing network of friends, colleagues, business connections and recent acquaintances. But you can't just sit back and wait for these people to come to you with your dream job offer; you need to work at it. The key to finding a job quickly, and nailing the interview, is to do your homework. Now more than ever, you can't afford to be lazy or take a day off from your job search. You need to treat looking for a job like it's a job in and of itself. Here's how.

Dust off your résumé

People seem to hate updating their résumé more than any other chore, task or assignment. It should be easy: talk about yourself and what you've been doing! But a lot of people struggle and either downplay their skills or inflate them into a work of fiction.

If you are really treating your job search like a job, this is your first assignment. Sit down, and get rid of all your personal distractions. Look up examples online and avoid sounding formulaic. Break out the thesaurus if you have to. The trick to a great résumé is highlighting what you brought and took away from a position, not just the daily tasks you faced. "Organized spreadsheets" is a bad way to explain that you "developed and implemented a new filing system to streamline operations." See the difference?

Work with a recruiter

News flash: working with a recruiter is free for job seekers. When you are placed, the recruiter or head hunter will receive a percentage of your salary for placement, but this isn't taken out of your pay and you owe them no fee for their service.

Again, let's imagine that finding work is your job while you are technically out of work. "Hiring" a recruiter is like calling in an expert. They probably know more people than you do (it's their job) and a lot of them specialize in a certain field, like sales recruiting. Recruiters often get inside information and advance leads on jobs, and they have spent quite a lot of time building up their credibility, so it speaks volumes to have them working on your behalf. They also don't get paid until you do, so it's in their best interest to work hard for you.

Apply everywhere

A lot of people get their hearts set on one job and stop looking while they wait to hear back from this dream position. Ever heard the famous line "he's just not that into you?" Don't wait by the phone.

You don't literally want to apply everywhere; to extend the job metaphor, would you try to take on the entire office's responsibilities? No, but you also wouldn't sit in a cube and perform one task all your life. Branch out and explore options related to your field but that differ from what you're used to. Also, don't be afraid of geographic barriers. Some jobs might be open to telecommuting, or maybe you'll find a new city you love. That said, don't apply for positions you are vastly under or over-qualified for, but don't be afraid to stretch a little.

Do your homework

OK, so maybe this is more reminiscent of school, but we all bring work home from time to time. The point is, you need to stay on the ball, whether it's in the search, application, interview or follow-up process of the job hunt.

Your "homework" encompasses a lot of things, from continually updating your résumé and/or portfolio to writing a new cover letter specific to each job you apply for. Yes, you can get away with a standard cover letter and will save a lot of time by mass emailing people with one form letter, but at least take a moment to personalize it to the position and company. If you really want the job, I say start from scratch; your passion will naturally come through. You also want to do the research part of your homework by getting some background on the company, especially before an interview. Then, make sure to follow up with a thank you. Keep a running list of where you've been and where you are in the process, as well as who has résumés but you've yet to hear from.

If finding a job is going to be your job, at least for the time being, make sure to set aside some time each day to check job sites, network online, and stay current on your industry. You should continue to wake up at a reasonable time and get dressed, so you feel more productive. As for those college kids who are willing to work for a lot less just to get their foot in the door? Remember what you have on them: years of experience. And if you yourself are a recent graduate, you might want to suck it up and stay at mom and dad's for a little bit.

There was a time when networking meant thumbing through a rolodex of business contacts, attending alumni dinners and carrying a stack of business cards (and maybe even résumés) everywhere you went. Business deals went down on the golf course, and positions were filled based on who you knew and how high up they were.

The Internet’s Effect on Old-School Networking

Today, networking has evolved past this old school model of promissory handshakes and after dinner cigars; networking is no longer so much about who you know, but who you can get to know. In a way, we have returned to the true definition of network, which is “a system of interrelationships.”

What got us here? In a word, the Internet. Not only can you now network online and “meet” people you would have little to no chance of speaking with outside of this digital world; offline interactions have benefitted as well. Email, event websites, newsletters, forums, chat rooms and easily updateable content management systems have made communicating alumni meetings, networking events and open job positions a quick and easy process for both the organizer and attendees or recipients.

Networking 2.0: Using Social Media and Other Online Tools to Connect

And of course, there are the social networks. LinkedIn was started with the express purpose of connecting people with similar professional interests or backgrounds, to help them expand their reach (or network, if you will) and harness the power of the Internet for the betterment of their business.

Facebook has more social beginnings and was intended to “connect people with friends and others who work, study and live around them.” Business leaders, job seekers and recruiters quickly realized the value of Facebook and it has since grown to include over 200 million active users, many of whom capitalize on the site’s popularity to further them in their career or career search.

Twitter has been all over the news recently, thanks to celebrity endorsements from Oprah, Shaq and Ashton Kutcher. But the true Twitter stars are those who can show real personal gain from the site and have used it to network themselves into a new job.

Utilize Online Connections to Enhance and Complement Your Offline Networking

What’s the takeaway from all this? Networking is far from dead; it’s just keeping up with the times. And that means you should be too. It’s easier than ever to stay up-to-date on live, face-to-face networking events thanks to email and dozens of event websites; you can also sign up for weekly digest newsletters to recap what you miss. But the real power of the Internet is the sheer number of people you have access to. If we are really all connected by six degrees of separation or less, than social networks are helping us bridge the gaps and meet each step of that separation.

So do yourself a favor and invest in your future by taking the time to network, both online and off. In this competitive job market and still shaky economy, you can’t afford not to.