Because current conditions pose a challenge to the many who are unemployed, Richard Vunder offers advice to job seekers:

1. Get into the hidden job market, which involves networking with others to uncover unseen and unadvertised opportunities. “Networking is not just for professionals.”

2. LDS Employment Services, which is open to all area residents, sponsors at least four networking groups in the area, two specifically for professionals and two for everyone.

3. Professional networking groups meet at 2 p.m. each Tuesday in Layton and at 9 a.m. each Thursday in Centerville. In addition, general networking groups meet at 9 a.m. Tuesdays in Layton and at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays in Ogden. LDS Employment Services offices are located near Deseret Industries stores on Pages Lane in Centerville and on Hill Field Road in Layton.

4. It’s important for job seekers to network with a wide ranges of contacts and even from long shots “because you never know where networking success is going to come from. People have even found jobs from talking in line with others at the grocery store.”

5. Even those who have jobs should keep up their networking efforts. “In networking, you don’t just ask for jobs. You keep the lines of communication open.” Even those who find jobs should keep networking.

6. There is no substitute for old-fashioned face-to-face networking because people don’t hire from computers or databases, they hire other people. Despite great advances in technology, and in social networking sites on the Internet, still only about 2-3 percent of job seekers find employment online. “When it really comes down to it, people hire those whom they like.”

7. Don’t simply ignore modern technology, however, including such sites as Facebook, twitter, and Linked-in. “ I would encourage anybody to learn how they work, especially Linked-in.”

8. Be mindful of the challenges such websites pose. Information can stay on the Internet for a long time, and questionable photos and information posted online can hamper a job search. Use a separate account for these social networking sites while searching for a job.

9. Understand how resumes work in today’s computer age. Many may be screened by computers, so typing in appropriate keywords is a must. Keywords found in job descriptions provided by employers should be seamlessly incorporated into resumes so that the candidate will be seen as fitting the qualifications for the job. For resumes that are transmitted by e-mail, etc., some job seekers type keywords in white ink around margins and empty spaces to boost the number of possible matches. Invisible to the naked eye, they still appear as words to the computers that are trying to find the most qualified candidates.

10. Two bits of final advice: (1) People often spend too much time trying to get their resumes perfect. The resume should not cause delay in the ultimate goal of talking to people about employment opportunities. (2) Because networking is still the key, “Don’t spend eight hours a day on the Internet.”