In this modern economy, people go to extreme lengths to find a stable job. Often times they settle, and sometimes they go big. Wherever you are in life, here are seven tips to help you get the job you’re looking for.

1. Let’s be honest.

Sit down with the man in the mirror, and interview yourself. In this small case, be completely honest. Find your strengths, find your weaknesses. Find your passions and your dislikes. Understanding yourself can help the employer see you as a sincere person and worker, and you can find a job closer to your wants, as well as your needs, with a good reflection and higher satisfaction.

2. Resume the résumé work.

Every organized work searcher should have many résumés. The first is the master list. This is the document that you constantly update throughout your life, holding everything from high school choir to the most recent volunteer work. Then, copy and paste the document onto a new blank page, and start trimming. Find what your desired job is most looking for, and make those traits and items most easily seen. Dress your resume professionally with bold letters, underlines, and large texts. A good, basic Google search of other résumés can give you ideas on how you want yours to look.

3. Get online to get on-hired.

The classifieds in the newspaper are one way to find recent job postings; signs in windows and billboards are another. In today’s modern technologically advanced culture, more jobs are found online than not. A good idea is to establish a healthy environment on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to check out the latest word-of-theoretical-mouth from your friends and family. After that, looking at specific job profile sites such as LinkedIn and Monster are good branching points.

4. Social media friend and enemy.

Continuing on the Internet front, make sure that any profile on any social media site you have is appropriate for your employer to see. Social media can be your best endorsement. Posting pictures of your volunteer experiences and positive experiences with past co-workers and job events can reflect you as a well-liked, quality employee. It can also add validity to your résumé, which is something employers go online to check sometimes. It can also cost you the job. By posting negative comments on past jobs or co-workers, you can come across as difficult to work with and a bad employee. Posting pictures of alcohol abuse or inappropriate content can seem unprofessional and a hazard for the employer to hire you. So, detox your profiles, and fill them up with the positives in your life.

5. Pre-run.

For career-changers or those trying to find out what they want to do, calling other professionals or people you know can help you get insight to the job. Asking questions and doing your own research can help you feel more confident and motivated to reach for the job, as well as prep you for what the employer might be looking for.

6. Dress for success.

Professional clothes can often come with a large price tag. There are plenty of ways to still look the part without breaking the bank. Stick to these main rules of thumb: you can’t go wrong with black, white, and neutral colors (you can spice them up with colors, but bright colors as your base can often be distracting or seem unprofessional); being proud of your body and wearing something to fit your personality and gender is always a plus, but avoid wearing anything too personal or revealing such as super short skirts, tight pants, or deep neck cut tops. For the most part, use common sense.

7. Patience is a virtue.

You are always competing against someone else. There is something special about you, which means you will have a special place in the work force. Finding your dream career or even a stable job can sometimes take months or years. Having patience and working towards your goals are important. Persevere and don’t give up. Keep searching, keep progressing your résumé, and work your way to where you want to be.

The job hunt can often be a dangerous and a scary one to maneuver through. Keep your goals in check, follow the tips above, and perhaps your job search can be a job found. Dear readers, better start printing off that résumé.