Determined Networkers Win the Interviews

Questions from Career Track Live, Mary Ellen Slayter's online discussion about issues affecting young workers.

La Plata: I have been applying for positions in the Washington area. The companies that I want to hear back from don't seem to call, while the ones I can't find much information on seem to be the ones interested in my skill set. I'm not sure where to go from here. I've contacted a recruiter and I have been sending résumés out on a service to positions that match the criteria I've entered. I'm not sure what else to do. I didn't think it would be so hard to get an interview/job.

Also, are there any resources out there to help determine commuting time? Not only do I want to target certain companies, but I'm trying to figure out what areas offer a better commute for me.

"So hard"? If all you have done is sign up with a recruiter and send out a bunch of résumés using a e-mail blaster service, you haven't even started. You need to begin networking, leveraging your social and professional network to get your résumé in front of actual people, not computer programs that scan it for "key words" before dumping it in some vast database with those of all the other lazy job seekers who think the Internet is going to score an interview for them.

Join a professional organization. If you have just graduated, call up alumni from your school who are working in your field. Without knowing what field you're in or how much experience you have, it's hard to be more specific.

The answer to your second question is easier: Google Maps ( http://maps.google.com/maps) and Metro's Ride Guide ( http://www.wmata.com/tripplanner). These two tools can help you quickly figure out how long it will take to get from home to work and back. And of course, you should always make a test run during your expected commuting hours before accepting an offer.