1. Backtrack a little and contact companies that you interviewed with in the past six months and see if they are still looking for someone to fill that position or another position.  Even if they hired a candidate, they may have discovered that that person was not a good match and could be on the lookout for another job candidate.
2. Reconnect with your former bosses and co-workers and let them know that you are now looking for work. Remember, these individuals already know the quality of your work and even if they don’t have a full-time job opportunity available at the moment, they may be willing to hire you as a consultant.
3. Tap into your network of friends and family who are currently employed and ask them to circulate your resume.  Oftentimes, employers may look to their current employee’s recommendations for upcoming jobs.

When highly sought after candidates are vetting employers and recruiters there a few key qualities that they look for when considering their options.

1. Time in the business.  For most quality candidates, time often equals experience and security.  When vetting employers and recruiters, many candidates prefer those who have a long track record of working in their field.  If a recruiter or employer has many years of working in their field, emphasizing that with sought after candidates may give them an edge over the less experienced competition.
2. A commitment to keeping their promises.  Every business is based on promises.  Today’s quality candidates are looking for businesses that make clear promises and keep them over time regardless of the challenges they may experience. Recruiters and employers who have a track record of keeping their promises are more likely to catch the eye of the best candidates the industry has to offer.
3. Meaningful incentives and benefits.  Many employers offer a wide variety of perks and benefits; but when it comes to marketing them to quality candidates, recruiters often focus on the wrong things.  If recruiters want to attract quality candidates with an employer’s perks and benefits they must make sure that they are only mentioning those things that matter to the candidates.  For example, free food and coffee, may matter less than fully paid for medical insurance and subsidized transportation costs.