A: Many people, at one point or another, have encountered the same issue: getting a job NOW! NOW! NOW!

It’s relatively easy to get a disposable job quickly. Finding a career-level gig, though, generally takes a bit more time.

Having said that, you can speed up the process. Here are a few ways:

Google Pack. This is an awesome array of software (click on the link at the bottom of this post). For job seekers, the sidebar feature is the most utilitarian. There are a host of gadgets you can put onto your sidebar to personalize it, but the most important are those that list brand new jobs as they come online. You can’t get any more fresh than that! Instead of picking a specific job site, though, it’s more efficient to add the Indeed.com gadget, which harvests jobs from millions of relevant sites. Choose your location and occupation and you’re good to go – a definite time saver! You will, however, need to set up a free Gmail account first.

Personalized Google home page. Let’s say you are relegated to a public use PC at a job search center or library (or a friend’s or relative’s) and you are forbidden from downloading software to the hard drive. Your next best option is to set up your personal Google home page with the same job search gadget. Your home page is portable – you can access it whenever you sign in, no matter what Internet-accessible computer you’re using. Like the side bar, you’ll need to set up a free Gmail account first.

Network like the wind! Studies have proven that nearly 80% of all professional-level jobs are obtained by networking. Not sure how to network properly? Check out our Networking department for excellent advice (click here).

IN THE CARAVAN: Speed up your job search by utilizing the Google Pack, personalize your Google home page and network.

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Check out last Friday’s post.