If you tell me your job seeking I get excited and start sending you links in my spare time. Give me Starbucks and comfy insoles, and I can run a recruiting booth with a smile for hours. So after a few rounds on the recruiting block, doing resume reviews, and scrounging profiles, I wanted to pass along my two cents when it comes to your job search.

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LinkedIn is the new resume. You would be amazed at the access a recruiter has on LinkedIn, so it is vital that your profile includes all of the sweet tidbits about your skills, your jobs history, and recommendations from your colleagues. Because this is the #1 way companies are finding their employees, take the hours you would have poured over your Word Doc Resume to beef up your LinkedIn Profile because…

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Resumes are old. With all of the relevant information I can get from you online with LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and blogs, why would I spend time looking at your outdated PDF first? Resumes have a time and place, but make “being searchable” online a priority, and ensure that what is found would make me want to hire you. Using sites like BrandYourself.com can help you improve your online rep.

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Be Memorable. After meeting 100’s of people in line at a career fair I will not remember the $50 you splurged on a new tie or a shellac manicure. I will however remember that you had a passion for auto racing or explored Thailand for a year. Being memorable is letting your unique flag fly (in a professional manner) when trying to stand out in a crowd. I once had a copywriter hand me a napkin at a career fair with “Call for a Good time” on the back with his contact information. Clever, funny, and and it stood out from the pile of 3×2 business cards I got from everyone else in line.

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Spend your time Building not Burrowing. So many 20 somethings spend off-time burrowing through job sites and applications in hopes of finding their dream job and come up empty handed. Want to become a journalist? Build your tumbler to include fresh pieces to show a passion for writing. Switching to a career in education? Start volunteering at your local public school. By building your dream skills you will not only be able to bulk up your online profiles, but will also have something to talk about if you get the golden go-ahead to come in for an interview.