5 smart tips for modernizing your job search

By job searching the traditional way, it will be hard to differentiate yourself from the other people pursuing the same opportunities. If you want to be successful, try using the following five tools that will help you protect your personal brand, network more efficiently and deliver a modern résumé that hiring managers will notice.

bu.mp: This iPhone application — which has been installed 50 million times — allows two phones to connect with each other by being “bumped” together. Instead of passing around business cards, which you might forget anyway, you can exchange professional contact information electronically.

sonar.me: Use this mobile application to uncover hidden connections during networking events and conferences. Sonar uses public social networking information to help you learn about the people around you so you can establish relationships faster.

resume.linkedinlabs.com: Go to this site to turn your LinkedIn profile into a resume that can be used during job interviews. There are multiple templates to choose from; you can customize your content and you can share it.

vizualize.me: This site will pull in information from your LinkedIn profile and generate an infographic for you. This tool will give you something that you can easily share online and impress hiring managers.

knowem.com: You need to claim your brand name on social networks before someone else does. Use this site to search over 550 popular social networks, more than 150 domain names and even a trademark database to instantly secure your brand on the Web.