We hate to admit it, but there's a really good chance that even with all the right tools, your first round of resumes might very well end up in the back of a filing cabinet, or in a plastic bin next to the interviewer you thought you charmed. But you don't learn without trying, and having your first efforts to switch positions fail gives you time, and some real data, to reflect on what you can change for the next batch. Read on for some of the better advice we've seen for rebuilding a job search and narrowing your targets. Photo by taiyofj.

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It takes a lot of work to find a great job and make your resume stand out, but that all led up to the big moment—the one where you stop planning and writing and start actually talking to the people you may soon work with. We're offering up a few tips on staying cool, telling your story without bragging or boring, and being prepared for any curve balls, so take a look before you pick up the pinstripes from the dry cleaners. Photo by jeremyfoo.

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CareerBuilder recently surveyed 3,100 hiring managers and found that nearly half of them had caught prospective employees in a definitive lie during the review process. More helpful to the honest job-seekers out there, though, are the terms those managers are scanning for in resumes. Here's four of the top nine from CareerBuilder:

• problem-solving and decision-making skills (50 percent)
• oral and written communications (44 percent)
• customer service or retention (34 percent)
• performance and productivity improvement (32 percent)

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Get an edge on that super-competitive job by creating a video resume instead of boring, templated dead-tree version. Student resource Education Portal claims that the video approach can get potential employers to want face time with you—as long as you still consider the basics for interview etiquette. Dress appropriately, keep it brief, practice your speech, and prepare by looking at other professional videos for encouragement and tips. Whatever you do, don't do what this guy did. While video resumes are becoming more popular, they may not work for everyone; check with the human resources department of the company you're applying for to make sure that your hard work isn't going to waste. Photo by airgap.

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Job interview master Vj Vijai describes how make the best impression at a technical interview using people skills (versus technical skills). His talk, which happened at O'Reilly's awesome Ignite event, is informative, funny, and short. Vijai also has a web site outlining the principles, linked below. Thanks, Brady!

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As the end of the financial year approaches, it's tempting to head into the boss' office and ask for a pay rise. An article on strategies to do that at news.com.au offers a bunch of useful suggestions, including this one: don't just think about asking for cash. Getting the option of flexible working hours, or additional time to work at home, may be just as valuable as cold hard cash -- and much simpler for your immediate manager to approve. Would you accept better conditions in lieu of more cash, or does money really talk? Let us know in the comments.

How to ask for a pay rise ... and get it

Microsoft's launched a tech-oriented outsourcing marketplace called Task Market in Tech Preview (that is, beta). If you need a logo for your company letterhead, but lack the Illustrator chops, or you have a knack for writing compelling resumes, Task Market's worth checking out—outsource the first and advertise the second on the market. Jobs most suitable for Task Market cost between $0 and $US500, and the product must be something that can be delivered in a digital format. Logo creation, web design, photo editing, proof reading, and document translation are just a few potential items. Get paid or pay your freelancer via PayPal, and rate their work after it's complete. Looks like a good place to test-drive a side business freelancing. Have you ever outsourced work or freelanced using a Task Market-like open forum? Tell us your experience in the comments.

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Looking to grab more work from a client you've done freelance work for? The FreelanceSwitch blog suggests asking them to set aside 10 minutes to discuss what aspects of their business you could contribute to, beyond the scope of what you've already done. Blogger Yuwanda Black says:

I recently snagged more work from one client by finding out that he had a lot of blogging work he needed done. These weren't for any of his clients, but for his own sites. But, he just didn't have time to do them and meet client deadlines as well (a lot of internet entrepreneur have this problem, including yours truly).

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Brazen Careerist blogger Penelope Trunk describes her experiences in finding a mentor whose knowledge and perspective complement and augment her own—but more importantly, how she kept the relationship from dwindling. One of her key successes in maintaining a mentor came from the man himself:

The first time I asked Chris, "What should I be asking you now?" I felt silly. After all, it's a line he fed me. But now I use it with him all the time, and it's actually an invitation for him to tell me what he thinks I'm missing, which is information I wouldn't get if I directed the conversation the whole time.

Trunk also advises only contacting your mentors when you know it's easy for them to talk, and keeping them up to date on your career position. How do you successfully utilise a mentor without seeming like a time drain? Share your story in the comments.

Passive marketing (like passive income) is great because once you have it set up, it does its job without needing constant time and effort to keep it ticking over - so, it's a nice time saver.
The Freelance Switch blog has some tips for how freelancers can use passive marketing to promote themselves - and most of the tips are equally applicable to job seekers as well.
These include:
*having an awesome portfolio of your work
*maintaining good customer relationships to get the benefit of word of mouth referrals and repeat business (for a jobseeker, focus on good professional relationships within your industry)
*maintaining an online professional portfolio at sites like LinkedIn and Facebook.

Do you have any preferred methods for maintaining your professional profile? Share in comments please.

Passive Marketing for Freelancers [Freelance Switch]