I've ran out of jobs to apply to.. what now?

I have been looking for and applying to jobs for a while now, about 4 months going on 5 to be more exact. Although I wasn't exactly conservative while there were many jobs to apply to, lately, I have been doing more research into potential jobs and the employers to see whether or not I really would be a good fit for that company. As a result of waiting (and the best things come to those who wait), I only apply to a few jobs a week now instead of the few jobs I applied to every day when I started out.

Sometimes, you'll find that there are no jobs which you can apply to, whether the requirements are out of your reach or you don't see the job as a good fit for you and it's a good idea to take a break when potential jobs are low just so that you don't burn out from doing research and applying every day.

But what happens when you just run out of jobs to apply to?

I can think of a few things that I'm doing now that might be good if you're not doing them:

1. Re-apply to those jobs you've applied to but did not hear from

Don't apply to those jobs that are filled obviously, but if they're still hiring, try applying again. This was a great piece of advice I got from a family friend and the worst thing they can do is reject you again anyway so why not try applying again? My one piece of advice is to update your resume before applying again though. While it's possible that you did absolutely nothing between the time you first applied and now, I think it is highly likely that you have accomplished something during that time (for example, building your own site, or starting your own blog, etc.) and you can add some of those things to your resume so that it isn't exactly the same as before.

And if you do get some sort of part time job or you've started to volunteer at a company, update your resume and then reapply to any jobs you really want. Again, employers can at worst only reject you again and maybe persistence is what you need to get that dream job you want.

2. Build your own site or Publish your own blog!

Check out some of these blogs: Jamie Varon, Lindsey Pollak, Cindy Burns.

The one by Lindsey Pollak isn't exactly a blog about someone looking for work but it features all these great articles about your career search and great advice for job seekers in general. The other two are blogs about job seeking.

What I'm saying is blogging about your job search experience is a great way of helping you to remember all the things you've done and to make sure you that you don't repeat any of your past mistakes. By entering the community of blogging and seeking out other job seeking bloggers, you won't feel so alone and hey, this is also a great way of developing your writing skills.

By building a blog or a site, you increase your online presence and make it easier for potential employers to find you on the internet - make sure to include links to your resume or online resume on your sites so that anyone who does make it to your site has an easy way of reaching you if they're interested in learning more about you.

I think the other great thing about blogging or building your own personal site is you develop some web 2.0 skills that are very valuable in a world where the internet is increasingly more important and vital for companies. Don't think of this as time wasted because this is a part of your job search! And this way, you won't be waiting around not doing anything productive while waiting for those potential jobs to come in - you'll be developing your skills, your own personal brand and your online presence all at the same time.