Contributed by Rita Davis, Catalogs.com Info Guru

In the race for the next dollar, everyone wants a way to give them an edge over the competition. However, one of the ways to beat the competition is to know where to look.

Searching smart not puts someone above the competition but also gives you the edge over others who don’t know where to look. Here’s a list of the top ten ways to search for jobs.

10. Social media

More businesses search for employees through social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. While browsing, they join forums where they meet their ideal candidates. For example, if a company has an opening for a health coach, they may check Facebook message boards for fitness or weight training. For this reason, as well as background checks, keep profiles and pictures clean. However, if someone wants to keep all their pictures, despite the content, one should take measures for privacy, if possible, or create a separate account for more business purposes.

9. CraigsList

More people find jobs and gigs on Craig’s List. The only disadvantage here are occasional scammers, but Craig’s List encourages users to report suspicious activity. Other than this, many find this site a good way for full-time and part time work.

8. Government listings

Employees typically get holidays off, paid time off, as well as other perks. Look for both federal openings and state openings. In addition to submitting a resume online, a person also needs to check requisites, and receive a GS rating, if applying for a federal job.

7. Career fairs

With career fairs, these are ideal for college seniors. The hosts usually have entry-level openings. Starting off on a good note with the host may lead to an interview and later employment.

6. Classified ads

Looking in the “wanted” ads are one of the tried-and-true ways of search for jobs. However, when someone sees an opening in a newspaper, he needs to respond quickly. When newspapers advertise the opening, competition spikes. Therefore, each person needs to make effort to distinguish themselves from the rest of the hopefuls.

5. Recruiters

Companies pay recruiters and headhunters to snatch people from the competition. Employment agencies sometimes refer the unemployed to recruiters. If a person has the ideal qualities that their manager is looking for, they will gladly find you a spot in their company.

4. Leads from present employer

Many businesses prefer to hire from within the system. It’s less paperwork. Therefore, be on the lookout for openings on your company’s job board, if possible. Look at the requisites and give it a shot.

3. Job search engines

Options like SimplyHired, Monster, and CareerBuilder are all used by companies to find new employees. However, because these sites are popular, submitting resumes to many potential employers and follow up are all important.

2. Walkins

Most open positions are undisclosed to the public. Because of this, it’s better to take initiative and walk inside. Be friendly and ask hiring manager about openings. Also, remember to give a resume, whether they ask for it or not. The advantage for this is that seeing someone personally gives a better chance of being remembered than a phone call or email.

1. Friends and family

Personal contacts are excellent sources for job openings, before the opening is disclosed to the public. Not only this, but close references from the person working there also boosts the chances for getting the job! This—by far—gives the golden edge to getting hired.