1. Set your intentions But before you start looking for a new job, take a few minutes to set your job-search intentions. Ask yourself: What are my career goals? What am I looking for in a job? A company? Write down a few key words or sentences and keep these in mind as you search for jobs. When you're looking for a job, it's easy to get caught in a rushed panic. However, this can cause you to waste time by applying to jobs that aren't a fit. It's best to keep your search focused and your intentions top of mind. 2. Perfect your resume Before submitting your application materials, you need to spruce up your resume. This document is your key to getting a company to notice you, so it needs to shine. But here's something not a lot of job applicants realize: 95 percent of Fortune 500 companies employ computer software — not people — to review resumes. These are called applicant tracking systems (ATS), and they're basically resume bots that automatically scan, sort