Connections, connections, connections.

Sometimes, all you need is that super secret person to tell an employer you’re great in order to land a job. After all, the majority of jobs these days are filled by referrals. But how can you land these connections in the first place? And what do you have to do to make them think twice about you professionally?

Here are four ways to find the super secret connections that can help you secure a job:

Picture this: You’ve spent the last four years of your college career honing your skills in a specific major. You’ve taken the classes, you’ve worked internships, and you’ve received shining recommendations from your peers. But when job search time comes along, you have a hard time not only finding your dream job, but locating a job at all. What’s the problem?

Here’s the deal. Recent studies indicate that although you may have pledged your allegiance to a specific career space, only 27 percent of college graduates have a job closely related to their major. This means even if you’re gunning for an major-specific job, chances are, you may not end up there.

This isn’t a bad thing. Many people don’t work in the field listed on their diploma and still have successful careers. It’s all in the way you use it. Here are some ways to draw career success from your major, without being tied to it completely:

Unhappy with your career? Do yourself a favor and start managing it!

According to an employee satisfaction survey, the majority of workers are dissatisfied in their careers. An employee may feel stuck, lack job growth, or isn’t able to consider a move. When you’re faced with a situation in which you don’t know what your next move should be, it can be difficult to stay engaged. Whether this involves improving your current situation, looking for a new job, or making lateral moves, you’ll be clear minded and happier when you have a firm grasp on what you’re doing.

So, you talked to your contacts, found the perfect job, and applied to the position. You included everything you needed to, cleaned up your online presence, and even had a referral to the position. Now what?

In an age where the job search is all about being proactive, you need to do one last thing in order to stand out from the pack: Follow up. Following up means reminding an employer that you applied, communicating your skills once again, and asking if they need additional information. However, there’s both a right way to conduct proper follow up and an absolutely terrible way to use this strategy.

Ah, the job interview. The one key element that’s standing between you and the job of your dreams. Hiring managers typically receive about 250 applications per corporate job opening, but once you’re in for an interview, you have an increased chance at landing the position.

Interview etiquette is a big deal, though. You may have been advised to ask questions at the end of your interview to learn more about the company. However, there are some key questions to avoid in the job interview. In fact, even though you should continue the conversation, continuing in the wrong way can mess up your chances.

So, when you’re preparing for an interview, you have to evaluate what’s going to work and what may send you into the deep end. With that in mind, try to avoid the following questions during your session:

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, it’s not holiday season yet — I’m talking about back-to-school season, which is filled with clean slates and brand new ventures for students and young professionals. While you may be sad to put away your beach towels and sunscreen, you should be aware of another opportunity on the horizon: Back-to-school career fairs.

Career fairs are a job search goldmine, especially if you want to meet employers face-to-face. Plus, many universities hold career fairs during the first few weeks of school, which helps you to jump start your search right when things are picking back up again.

If you’re thinking about attending a back-to-school career fair, there are a few things you need to do in order to ace your experience. Check them out:

Employees leave companies around the world every day, for a variety of reasons ranging from personal life changes to employer dissatisfaction. For companies, maintaining a positive relationship with these discharged workers can be tough. Business reputation is on the line if they don’t help former workers to get back on their feet — but a carefully created severance package can help.

We’ve compiled the infographic below to help employers understand the importance of employee severance packages and outplacement services for recently discharged workers. A few key points:

CareerShift released its most advanced version yet, version 5.0, to help our valued members save time and manage their career search most effectively. For Group Administrators, there are also now new exciting capabilities.

When asked what’s most unique about CareerShift, no doubt it is the ability to cross-reference jobs and contacts. Users can then tailor and organize documents and correspondence while utilizing the best in online resources and capabilities.

CareerShift was conceived in 2003 uniquely focus on equipping job seekers with more streamlined, systematic and effective online tools. Now over 140 Universities and Colleges license the product for their students and staff. If your organization isn’t already considering CareerShift, we hope you’ll speak with us about implementing a program soon.

We hope, when we apply online that someone is eagerly waiting to read every word of our carefully crafted resume. It is highly unlikely an actual person is reading any of it, at least on the initial screening.

Because companies continue to be inundated with resumes, more and more employers are turning to applicant tracking systems (ATS) to manage the volume and weed through all the applicants. What does that mean for job seekers? Here is a summary of what I have learned.