When asked what one of the top job search requirements is, every advice blog you read, career counselor you talk to, and mentor in your field will all include one common practice: networking. Lucky for you, society is making networking increasingly easy, accessible and generation-friendly with events like Speed Networking and websites like Network Roulette.

Mentors are often left out of the discussion when talking about job search strategy but that doesn’t mean they are any less important than any other approach you take. According to Brazen Careerist writer Berrak S.:

Research indicates that people with mentors perform better on the job, advance more rapidly in their organization and have more all-around job satisfaction…

If you are anything like me, you created a LinkedIn account ages ago and have pretty much forgotten about it since. Apparently that technique of using the website isn’t very useful to you if you are seeking employment.

We've told you before about the hottest new site for networking, Network Roulette, where professionals in the field and up and coming job seekers meet to chat and form bonds that will help them in the working world.

Have you ever met a fellow classmate who is clearly well-versed in a subject or field, but is a far cry from a team player? As you enter the working world, you’ll quickly find that having people skills is a vital element of your professional success. So how does one develop these social skills? Reading “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie is the perfect place to start.

Want to improve your job search quickly and easily? Check out Careerealism's 5 Ways to Instantly Improve Your Job Search:

1.

It's Monday...you've heard about networking before...so I'm going to give you Careerealism's 60 Seconds of Networking Adivce list of pointers. Ready, set, network!

There are a myriad of ways to begin networking, whichever route you embark on keep the following in mind:

• Be aggressive but polite.

It's Wednesday ThinkTalkers, that's three days into the work week. And today, the number three is the reason for our blog. Ever notice that your mind tends to naturally think in threes. No? Well, it does. Research shows that there is in fact a rationale behind the use of 'three' in story-telling, and Careerealism writer Andy Robinson shows that you can use this "Rule of Three" to hook potential employers.

Feel like your resume is being left in the dust? Like you’re not impressing the pants off of your potential employer? Well that needs to stop. And here’s how.

As 2011 approaches it’s time to evaluate those habits and mistakes you constantly made in 2010 and vow to leave them behind as you enter the New Year. Start 2011 off without those negative habits that may be holding you back, bad habits such as hindering your job search process by allowing errors to happen on your LinkedIn profile!