Loyal to her company, Jane Helfen figured she’d have the option to move on when she was ready, but an unexpected layoff stirred her to a networking frenzy. It worked.

Every job search tells a story. I’ve got a story; you’ve got a story; and millions of your fellow senior job seekers on TheLadders have stories. TheLadders’ editorial team is here to share those stories with you every Tuesday in our new Job Search Solutions e-mail newsletter. Watch this space for articles about your peers about the tactics they’ve employed to find a job and change their story.

To make it easy for recruiters to find you, borrow the online tools they use. These five methods can help you fast-track from unknown to the top of the list. 

Bryan Stinson's most productive job search tool was as simple as an Excel spreadsheet that listed everyone in his professional and personal network.   

Bryan Stinson's most productive job search tool was as simple as an Excel spreadsheet that listed everyone in his professional and personal network.   

Instead of besetting hiring managers with your need for a job, demonstrate your value by approaching them with useful information.

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