One of the most frustrating parts of looking for a job is that you have to get other people to at least give you a chance to show them what you've got. Getting in the door is the hardest part.

But when you become an expert, others seek you out. Or, at least, when you knock on the door, at least some people will hear you out for a bit longer if they think you know something that could help them.

You want to be like a magnet-pulling people toward you-instead of having to push yourself on others. By creating good-quality content that helps to promote your expertise, you'll prove that you are also a problem solver. You'll show that you can add value, and therefore others who need what you have to offer will contact you.

Before you say to yourself that you aren't going to put the work into creating content that promotes your expertise, realize that your competition is doing it. In the past, being perceived as an expert was a nice-to-have asset. Today, it's a need-to-have element.

Target Your Employer 'Wish List

Your paper resume, social network profile and social media resume are the message. They are your advertisement--a commercial of you. As part of your preparation for crafting and fine-tuning that message to take advantage of leveraging online social networking and social media channels, you need to know who your audience is. Why? Because it will affect how you present-or, as it is known in marketing-"position"-yourself. So, beginning with the end in mind, and with some direction, ask yourself, "Where do I want to work?"

As you proceed in both your people and company search, you'll come up with new ideas for places you want to work, or you may find that you can't break in to your original targets, so you might modify your targets.

Examples of a 'top X' employer wish list could be the direct competitors to your prior or current firm. However, if you have signed a non-compete agreement, that could get sticky.

Note that while meant to protect a company from customer defections or loss of proprietary intellectual property, at their core, these agreements can be challengeable in court depending on legal precedents and the particular state in which the agreement was executed. That said, no company can legally prohibit you from earning a living. If they choose, big companies with dedicated legal departments and deep pockets can make your life difficult should you choose to test the agreement that you have signed.

Other examples of a top employer wish-list could be key suppliers or vendors to your past or current company, or select distributors/dealers in your firms' sales distribution channel.

The first step is to write down a list of the top 10 companies you'd like to work for. Of course, there is no magic in the number 10-you might have a top 20-but start with a limited set of targets-Ideally, no more than two dozen.

This targeted "short list" is important because it acts as a jumping-off point to your main personal network contacts-those most closely known by you.

You will be communicating this target list to them. If you list too many, you can end up causing confusion and dilute the effectiveness of those who may be able to help you.

Specific Industries and Types of Companies

Beyond writing down your wish list of specific companies, you will also want to think of three or four different types of companies that you are looking to target.

Take your wish list of specific companies, and think of the types of companies that they represent. Also think about grouping them by industry, and then make a list of those firms too.

Here's an example: Let's say you worked for, or are currently with, Dell Computer. You've already made a list of Dell's competitors (HP, IBM, Toshiba, etc.), as part of your wish list).

• Been a PC lover? How about considering switching horses to Apple, and key MAC product vendors? There's a whole new universe of potential employers there you might never have thought of. Make a list.  
• What about chip/semiconductor manufacturers like Intel and AMD? Make another list. 
• How about monitor manufacturers like Nokia, Samsung, and the like? Make a third list.  
• Or perhaps look at a different angle and go behind the scenes to computer OEMs who sell to the Dells of the world. They make key parts like motherboards, soundcards, graphic cards, and SCSI cards. Keep going! Brainstorm and let your mind run wild.  

That's the kind of "lateral thinking" that will propel your job search. Don't filter, and be open to anything because you never know where the next opportunity will come from. It might very well be one you never heard or thought of before.

Don't get too broad. Lack of focus in communicating your target industry of interest to others (e.g., healthcare industry) will get you very little help because it's too vague.

To maximize the help your personal network can provide in your company-search/people-search, your contacts need specific direction. A list of targeted firms does just that. You'll want to narrow that down and say, for example, that you are looking for a position in a company that deals in healthcare medical recordkeeping.

This is not to discourage you from thinking broadly but rather to encourage you to avoid scattering your energies in too many directions.

For more helpful hints watch these video quick tips.

Good luck with your job search!

Sherrie A. Madia, Ph.D. is an educator, author, and trainer.  Her most recent books include The Social Media Survival Guide (Also available in Spanish), The Online Job Search Survival Guide, and S.E.R.I.A.L.PRENEURSHIP: The Secrets of Repeatable Business Success. She is frequently cited by the national media as an expert in social media. 

To schedule an individual consultation or group workshop on online job-search,visit http://www.onlinejobsearchbook.com.