Looking for a new job?

If so, you have a problem, right? You want to find work.

Would you like to solve that problem and get hired faster?

Good. That’s what this column will help you do.

Wait. Stop.

You’ve just read 39 words and all I’ve done is ask a few questions. You’ve just proven how engaging and powerful questions can be.

Now.

If you want to find out how three engaging and rather unusual questions could give you the answers you need to find your next job fast, keep reading …

1) What jobs are really out there?

Before investing precious time in a job search, wouldn’t it be great to know exactly what the demand for your skills is right now, so you head off in the right direction?

Well, you can. And it’s easy to do.

Just go to JobsinMinneapolis.com (JIM) and play with search terms to get a sense for what employers are looking for.

Example: Searching for “auto sales” at JIM.com turned up 50 job openings; “automotive sales” found 28 openings; and “car sales” brought back 31 job listings.

Knowing the demand for specific jobs will help you speak the language employers want to hear. In the example above, I would use “auto sales” in my resumes, cover letters, and networking conversations, because that’s the phrase employers seem to be looking for in that sector.

Note: For a more accurate idea of what’s out there, multiply the number of jobs you find online by four. Because only about 15-25% of job openings are ever advertised.

2) Are you being active or productive in your job search?

A wise man once said, “Never confuse activity with productivity.”

Do you feel like you’re getting a lot done every day, yet you’re not getting calls from employers? If so, your activity is not productive, is it?

To fix this, get a piece of paper and write down everything you’ve done in this job search - and the last two before it - the produced a face-to-face meeting with a hiring authority. That’s the goal of your efforts, after all. We’ll call these “A” job-search activities. They are productive.

Then, write down everything else you’ve done in your search that didn’t produce a meeting, such as picking up the dry cleaning, visiting ESPN.com, deleting spam, etc. You get the idea. These are “B” job-search activities. They are not productive.

You can guess what’s coming next, right?

Starting tomorrow, spend as much time as possible doing “A” activities, and stop doing “B” activities altogether. The upsurge in real productivity you enjoy may astonish you.

3) How could you get others to find job leads for you?

The most successful people multiply their efforts by using tools, teams and systems to get more done each day. Think Tom Sawyer painting that fence.

You can do this, too. Here’s how …

Tools: Although I often admonish folks to look beyond their computer screens for job leads, the Internet does offer cool tools that can make you more productive in your search for work.

Teams: Who’s on your job-search board of directors? Don’t have a board? For shame. All you have to do is ask four or five friends to meet every two weeks for lunch or coffee. Give them regular progress reports, ask for their input, hold yourself accountable - and get hired faster.

Systems: Do you have an organized way of managing every job lead, from start to finish, until it either turns into an interview or is ruled out. No? More shame for you.

Never rely on memory or your email inbox to keep track of this stuff - names, dates and other details will get lost, and jobs will slip through your fingers like gold dust.

Instead, you need a system. It could be as simple as an Excel spreadsheet or a box of 3x5 cards, or as robust as the contact management software from ACT, GoldMine or JibberJobber.com.

Until next time, go out and make your own luck!