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If you’re looking for work and don’t want to move to India, a little refocusing might help.

On December 11, India’s Business Line newspaper reported that only one percent of employers in India intend to reduce 2008 payrolls, but 43 percent plan on increasing them. The remainder plan no change. 

Yet on the same day, Manpower, the US temp services giant, reported only 22 percent of US employers were expecting to increase staffing (only half as many as in India), and 14 percent are planning a reduction.

By comparison, the job market isn’t exactly booming here in the states. Add a US dollar in what feels like freefall, the price of gold going through the roof, and record low trust levels in all branches of government, and a lot of people are feeling like their foundation might be a little unstable. 

But that doesn’t mean throw in the towel. As with all things in life, your business and/or your career is what you make it. Just this past week I attended a luncheon at which many were saying their places of business were doing quite well despite the widespread reports of economic woe. Several reported having their best months ever this past fall. 

To what do they attribute their success? Adaptability is a must. Persistence is also a key ingredient. And professionalism is another. Put these together and you develop an edge.

In other words, just because a job market isn’t rosy it doesn’t mean work can’t be found. It’s akin to how one real estate professional described her last quarter: “The fish aren’t jumping in the boat anymore, but fish are still biting and we’re still catching them.”  It’s a great analogy. 

So as far as being successful in trying times, that which works for the employed will also work for the unemployed: Be adaptable, persistent, and professional. Here are a few tips along these lines that should give a job seeker an edge:

1. Be careful what you post on the Internet. In this day when social networking via the web is all the rage (and with good reason), it’s easy to forget that what one says on the Internet cannot be taken back. Once a search engine caches your page, consider it a permanent record. 

HRMagazine reports that an increasing number of interviewers are searching sites like MySpace, Facebook, and other personal blogs to learn more about their applicants. Companies are viewing this as an insight into an applicant’s character – one that reveals more than the traditional method of checking references.

Humor has its place, but it’s easily misinterpreted. Something you and your friends find hilarious today might lead a future employer to see your behavior as “too risky” – and pass you over. 

2. Be sure you’re Web-savvy. While people must be cautious about what they post on the Web, the modern workplace almost demands that people have high-level Internet capabilities. Let’s face it, the Internet has become commonplace. Ignore it and you risk an employer viewing you as un-trainable and stuck in old ways.

Included in this is keeping up with emerging Internet trends. As the Web expands and niche communities grow, new standards develop. Granted, it’s impossible to keep up with every “latest and greatest,” but if you are too far behind in what’s expected as common skills, you can be seen as someone unable to deal with changing business practices. 

3. Trust the “tried and true.”  Even in the age of Monster.com, it’s wise for job seekers to adhere to good old fashioned job-search etiquette. Sharp, well-tailored interview clothes make phenomenal impressions on interviewers. So do thank-you notes sent within 24 hours after an interview.

Another tried and true practice is to have several people you respect critique the living daylights out of your resume. Be persistent. Make them tell you what they don’t like about it, then fix it. 

And if a help wanted ad says “send cover letter and resume,” be sure to send both. No matter how qualified you may be for the job, sending only a resume will say loud and clear, “I have a tough time following instructions.”

4. Prepare, but expect the unexpected. If you can, have someone play the role of interviewer and conduct mock interviews. Then the actual event is much less daunting—and may actually seem like a breeze. 

With interview questions, if you don’t know the answer, say so. Attempting to bluff your way through an unexpected question can kill your chances of landing a job. Being truthful with an “I don’t know” shows you are honest – a desirable trait.

Bottom line, if you want to find work in what seems like trying times, refocus yourself to be more adaptable, persistent, and professional.

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