Perhaps it's time for you to find a new job or, given the state of the economy, maybe you've been laid off and you need to find something fast. If so, this piece over at Careerbuilder.com is just what you need.
Marty Nemko's One Week Job Search is just as its name suggests. Start on Monday by writing your resume. After writing it, get feedback from people whose opinions you respect. And work on your elevator pitches - short explanations of why you are perfect for the job you want.
On Tuesday you should identify 25 companies you want to work for. Then contact (via phone or e-mail), 25 people who are likely to be of assistance to you in your search.
On Wednesday you should follow up on leads that are not part of the 25 companies you have identified. You should then visit the websites of the 25 employers you put on your list and learn about what the companies do.
For the remainder of the week you should apply for jobs at the companies you are interested in but, he also suggests sending e-mails to the CEOs of those that don't have any jobs posted.
According to Nemko, after your week of preparation and sending out the resumes, you should start hearing responses the following week. If not, he suggests following up and leaving voicemails if need be.
He also advises that you should be prepared to not hear back from most of the people you reach out to, but you will get a few nibbles of interest if you keep at it.
If you follow those steps, it may just be possible for you to find the job you've been dreaming about and at the company you've always wanted to work for.