How to Find a Job Without Using Job Boards

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By Arnie Fertig

Wouldn't it be nice to wake up tomorrow morning and discover that the Powerball ticket you purchased made you instantly rich beyond your wildest dreams? Even knowing that the odds of winning big are infinitesimally small, the get-rich-quick dream continues to drive people to spend millions of dollars on lottery tickets every week.

That same mentality transfers to job seekers who fail to do much beyond apply to numerous jobs advertised on job boards. Every such online submission is simply a remote chance to win consideration for a job. The unfortunate reality is that only about 5 percent of job seekers obtain jobs through ads, according to Randall S. Hansen, founder of Quintessential Careers.

> Find a retail job

Here are five job-search activities that will greatly improve your odds of successful career advancement: