If you’ve been unemployed for a while you may be getting desperate with the lack of jobs out there…instead of giving up there’s the option for applying for jobs you are overqualified for. How to deal with this and reassure your possible employer through this HotJobs article:

1. Re-read the job description.
2. Fine-tune your resume.
3. Don’t lie about your history.
4. Check your sense of entitlement at the door.
5. Clearly explain why the job will be good for you.
6. Make circumstantial evidence work for you.

Via The Resume Chick

Missing qualifications
If you’re applying for a particular job, yet the required work experience is nowhere to be found on your resume, it is destined to end up in the useless items pile. Be sure you include skills and distinct work experience that match the job description posted.
Hint of uncertainty
Avoid vague job objective statements. Clearly state the kind of job you want and play on your strengths with a firm display of confidence. Your resume should be designed to subtly “toot your own horn”. After all, you want to get noticed and land an interview, right?
Wordy is not always worthy
This is one of those times when less is definitely more. Your purpose is to grab the hiring manager’s attention not to tell stories about your childhood sweetheart, so refrain from using old fashioned, flowery words. Pitch the tone so that it gives the impression of a modern professional who is in touch with up-to-date business lingo and usage. Stick to factual words rather than descriptive adjectives; keep it brief and straightforward.
Higgledy-piggledy presentation
Don’t make the hiring manager dizzy. If he is not able to follow your resume and find what he wants, he is just going to give up and put your resume on the no-way pile. Unless specifically required, too much detailed information is redundant. The most interesting part of your resume from the hiring manager’s vantage point is your work experience. Place it at the start; and not your personal or educational background.
Unreachable jobseeker
It may sound almost like “no-brainer” but giving inaccurate contact information is a mistake some jobseekers frequently make. If your phone number has changed or your e-mail is not professional-looking, employers won’t make any effort to contact you. Be sure you update your resume accordingly.

Cover letters are the best way to introduce your resume to potential employers. Here are a few sites that have example cover letters to help you get started.

Google Images has hundreds of cover letter examples

www.coverletterexamples.net

resumecoverletterexamples.com

CV Tips Cover Letter Examples

resumecoverletters.org

Susan Ireland’s Cover Letter Examples

Mashable is a great resource for tips using the internet to find jobs and to assist with with interviews and networking.

7 Secrets to Getting Your Next Job Using Social Media

9 Sites for Successful Job Interviews

30+ Websites to Visit When You’re Laid Off

10 Great Social Sites for Resume Building

10 Ning Networks to Help You Land Your Next Job

18 Sites for Finding Startup Jobs

HOW TO: Find a Job on Twitter by Mashable

11 Twitter Tips – Job Search in 140 characters by ZDNet

50+ Employers that are recruiting on Twitter by Job-Hunt.org

TwitterJobSearch.com

Image by carrotcreative

Everyone knows Monster and CareerBuilder, but there are some other job search engines that are flying under the radar for most job seekers. Here’s a list to explore.

Monster – Most popular job search engine in the world.

CareerBuilder – One of the most well known job sites started in 1995. Sends you job recommendations based on your resume and your previous job searches. Job recommendations listed on their site show how many applicants and rate how good a fit the job listed is for you.

Indeed – Job listing aggregator that searches through job boards, classifieds, company job sites. You do not apply directly through Indeed, instead it gets you the link to the job posting.

Craigslist – More and more employers are using craigslist to reach out to applicants, but there still are scammers using the site to advertise strange “job offers.” This page lists some signs to spot a scam on craigslist. The article is a bit lengthy, but contains a lot of useful information.

Also, if you are willing to relocate or want to search across multiple craigslist locations, use CraigZoom

LinkedIn – Create a LinkedIn Profile including your job history, contacts/former colleagues who can recommend you and a search engine for jobs put up by other LinkedIn members.

LinkUp – Searches through over 20,000 company job websites.

SimplyHired – Job listing aggregator. Searches job postings throughout the web including those on social networking sites.

Beyond – You can search by network or locate.

JobFox – Fill out a questionnaire and they will match job in their database with your experience.

Idealist – Job site for non-profit organizations.

Search.io – Searches and organizes across multiple job sites through tabs. Including: Monster, Hotjobs, Jobs.com, Indeed, CareerBuilder, SimplyHired, Smashing Jobs, FreshWeb Jobs, Slashdot Jobs and Myspace Jobs.