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It’s a new year, and for those of you who are unemployed, it’s a good time to begin some new job-hunting strategies. I’ve consulted with job market experts to avoid the mistakes of yester-year and get off to a running start in 2010.

Get back to basics

If you haven’t been getting interviews, it may be time to review your résumé, cover letters and approach. Seek help from a job-search or career transition expert.

“There are jobs out there. You have to make you’re sure presenting yourself in the best possible way. Tweak your résumé, writing it for the job you want, not the jobs you’ve done,” says Mason Jackson, CEO of Workforce One in Lauderhill, Fla.

“A common problem is they send résumés electronically and the program may scramble the résumé when viewed at the other end. You have to send to somebody you know and see if it arrives,” he says.

Job applicants also often fail to follow the rules. “If the employer says ‘I don’t want to be contacted, please apply online,’ then apply online. Don’t send them your résumé,” Jackson says.

Adjust your attitude

Some job seekers are stuck in the old mindset of being embarrassed to be out of work, according to Thomas Shea, CEO of Right Management Consultants in South Florida. He says that shouldn’t be a concern since workers stay in jobs an average of only four years.

Another misstep is “woe is me” talk. “Letting them know how badly you need a job — that’s not going to make companies hire you,” Shea says.

Keep improving

“Shaquille O’Neal has no problem saying, ‘I’m a free agent,’\u200A” Shea says. Have the attitude that “you’re going to work for yourself and you’re going to lease yourself to a company,” he says.

That means, as an employee of your own company, that you need to keep investing in yourself, updating your skills and building on your strengths. Two or three superior skills are a better asset when job searching than a broad-base of average skills, Shea says.

Develop a brand

Keep going to professional organizations and industry conventions — even if it means paying a fee. “We don’t spend enough money in branding ourselves,” he says.

By continually developing your brand, you will be able to offer solutions to employers looking for specific skills. “The only reason you’re going to get hired is if you’re perceived as being a solution to an employer’s problem,” Shea says.

Target your job search

Instead of sending out résumés to every employer, target six companies that you admire and where you think you will fit in with the culture. Unless finances become a pressing concern, aim for a job at a company where you want to work and where you have potential to
advance, Shea says.

Find a connection

Use your creativity to connect with the organization, Shea says. Think about how you could get connected to the organization: Who do you know who works there or who used to work there?

Find blogs about the organization to pick up information. “If you can make a friend with someone on the inside, it’s much easier. Then you have a mentor,” he says.

Lori Welch, who was laid off in July after 21 years with the same employer, found an industry contact on LinkedIn.com, a popular networking site for professionals. The contact referred her to
AlphaStaff, a staffing firm in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., after receiving an e-mail from one of his contacts there. AlphaStaff recently hired Welch as a human resources manager.

“It had been 10 to 12 years since I saw (the contact),” Welch said.

Show enthusiasm

Although you shouldn’t ask an employer for a job, there’s nothing wrong with communicating your desire to work for the company.

“Some job hunters are afraid to tell people that ‘I’d love to work here,’” Shea says. “When you get turned down, ask to be kept in mind if anything else comes up. Check back in three or four months. Companies love to hire people who truly want to work there.”