Courtesy of St. Petersburg Times

By Diane Stafford, McClatchy-Tribune Newspapers
In Print: Saturday, February 27, 2010

Each month when I report on the national employment numbers, economists warn that many lost jobs aren’t coming back not soon and perhaps never. ” So job counselors advise displaced workers to go back to school. Retrain for new careers. Adapt existing skills for other industries or occupations. Create a wider network of business contacts. Become an entrepreneur. All good advice. And all easier …

Read on!

Wendy Terwelp’s quick advice to dig deeper within a company – and reach top decision makers?

Check out the Business Journal and its annual Book of Lists. Here you can know the latest company information, what’s current, what problems they have (and how you can solve them), business growth, etc. From the Book of Lists, you can get the company CEOs names and contact info.

Send your resume to THE TOP – the person who has the power to create the job for you. Let him or her send your materials to the ranks – with a recommendation.

Better yet? Identify the top dog, and see who may know him or her in your current network. Yes, this can include social networks like LinkedIn. A warm referral is always better than a cold lead.

Want more tips? Read: “Rock Your Network for Job Seekers.”