Is your job search getting you nowhere? Are you constantly checking dozens of websites for new opportunities to be added every hour in the hope that your dream job will suddenly appear?

All this can get pretty tiresome very quickly and you’ll begin to feel like you’re a slave to jobs boards and email alerts. This only leads to complete demotivation when you realise that your job search has gone stale.

So what can you do about it?

Take the lead
If you’ve already applied for every job opportunity that’s currently listed online, you might think that you’ve already run out of options.

Wrong! Just because an opportunity hasn’t been posted online doesn’t mean that your perfect job isn’t out there just waiting to be discovered. So how to you uncover these hidden dream positions?

First of all, you’ll need to start with a shortlist of companies that you’d be interested in working for. Next, make contact via email discussing your interest in joining that organisation and ask for a contact name of someone you could talk to about current or future openings.

Although they might not have an opportunity right at that very moment, if you attach a well written covering letter and polished CV they’ll be able to see the skills and experience you have and begin to see how they would transfer to any positions they’re looking to create or that might need to be filled.

Cold networking
You might feel like you’ve already maxed out on your LinkedIn connections and done all you can to get yourself in front of prospective new employers using a soft approach. But if you’re really serious about re-invigorating your stale job search then some cold networking can help give it the boost it so desperately needs.

Use LinkedIn’s In Mail service to connect with people or companies of interest, but whatever you do don’t go asking them for a job just yet. Politely enquire if they would have five minutes to spare to offer you some advice on entering the company, occupation or any networks that might be of use to you during your job search.

If you approach this the right way it will open up new avenues of enquiry, new contacts and even new job opportunities that were previously hidden from view.

Get the insiders view
Finally, don’t under estimate the insider knowledge that comes as part and parcel of dealing with a reputable recruitment specialist. These skilled and experienced consultants work alongside various prestigious companies and are aware of vacancies before they get posted online, so find the right recruitment company and tap into a wealth of insider knowledge to help with your job search.