NEW YORK, Dec. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Between employers' hectic holiday schedules and endless end-of-year preparations, December can be a challenging month for job seekers to coordinate interviews. However, there are several tasks that job seekers can complete now to optimize their search in the New Year. To identify knowledge gaps and gauge overall preparedness of today's job seekers, TheLadders, the online job-matching service for career-driven professionals, surveyed its more than 5 million members about their job-search efforts.

"Today's hiring landscape is much different than it was even five years ago," said Amanda Augustine, job search expert for TheLadders. "With the proliferation of mobile technology and social networking, recruiters are using more channels to recruit talent, which means that job seekers must be discoverable, current, and professional across multiple platforms."

For job-search success, preparation is paramount, and the way that potential employers perceive job candidates online can make or break one's chances at landing an interview and, ultimately, a job. Drawing on TheLadders' new survey results, Augustine developed the following five tips to help job seekers prepare for a new career in the New Year.

1. Mobilize Your Professional Resume – You are 40 percent more likely to land the job you want with a professionally written resume. While 29 percent of respondents have received feedback on their resumes from a professional writer within the last six months, 35 percent have never received professional feedback. Consider hiring a professional who can turn your laundry list of experiences into a narrative that supports your goals and outsmarts the technology gatekeepers.

2. Overhaul Your Online Brand – More than 35 percent of respondents Google themselves only on an annual basis, and 16 percent have never Googled themselves. To monitor your online brand, Google your name regularly. Remove inactive profiles or update them to reflect your current personal brand and resume. Increase the security settings on sites reserved for personal use so recruiters cannot find them.

3. Get Back to Basics with Social Media – It's comforting that more than 80 percent of respondents feel "comfortable" or "somewhat comfortable" using social media in their job search. You don't need to be an expert on every social-media channel, but you must have a basic understanding of the big four: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Use these sites to strengthen your personal brand online, research target employers or industries, and uncover job opportunities.

4. Look the Part – While 65 percent of respondents assert that their online profile photos send the right message to potential employers, 12 percent admit that they do not, and 23 percent confess to not even having an online profile. Invest in your image both online and offline with a stylish yet budget-conscious haircut, updated clothes, and a professional headshot for your online profiles.

5. Get a Smarter Phone – Owning a smart phone can have a positive impact on the job search, according to 75 percent of respondents. Use a smart phone and the latest apps to actively search for jobs, even while on-the-go. Store a copy of your resume on your mobile device or tablet so that you can respond to recruiter requests immediately. Significantly, the signaling effect to employers is that you are comfortable with new technology.

On January 10, 2013, job seekers in the New York metropolitan area will have the opportunity to put these tips to practice at Job Central, a comprehensive and experiential job-search event, hosted by TheLadders at Grand Central Terminal. As TheLadders celebrates its 10 years of success, and Grand Central Terminal honors its Centennial, Job Central promises to be a historic event of its own, bringing together the best employers, recruiters, and career experts to educate professionals looking to make their next career move. All job seekers are welcome to join – for free – the one-of-a-kind networking event, which will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Vanderbilt Hall.

On an ongoing basis, TheLadders conducts primary user-experience research and analyzes quantitative data provided by its more than five million members to gauge current behavioral trends in the job-search process. TheLadders uses this research to improve the customer experience and provide expert advice to the marketplace. For detailed results from the New Year's survey, contact pyoungclaus@theladders.com.

About TheLadders
With more than five million members, TheLadders is the premier online job-matching service, committed to finding the right person for the right job since 2003. With a unique suite of personalized products and resume services, the company helps job seekers connect with employers and recruiters more effectively and efficiently. Originally focusing on the $100K+ job search, TheLadders continues to dedicate itself to the science behind the job search and, as of Fall 2011, helps all career-driven professionals in finding the right jobs. Expanding services to include sub-$100K positions allows recruiters and employers, free-of-charge, to discover more matches when looking to hire professionals at all levels. TheLadders is headquartered in New York City. For more information, visit TheLadders Blog and theladders.com. Your career is our job.™

SOURCE TheLadders