A résumé won’t land you the job you want

You send in your résumé. You include a hopefully eye-catching cover letter. You ask someone to put in a good word for you.

Then you wait. And wait. And don’t get the job.

Why not? You didn’t put in the work.

There are many things you can’t control about the job-seeking process. Cumbersome application systems, automated filters that identify keywords instead of talent, lazy hiring managers content to simply find round pegs for round holes, people who make the biggest hiring mistake of all.

There is one thing you can control: the amount of work you put in.

If you’re struggling to land the job you want, don’t complain. Don’t blame others. Sure, the system often sucks—so accept that it sucks, and then figure out how to beat it. Commit to doing more. Commit to doing what other candidates aren’t willing to do. That’s how you stand out. That’s how you get the job you really want.

Try this:

1. Determine the company you want to work for.