by Atul Mathur

On the face of it, getting a new job appears to be a straightforward affair: Just look for job opportunities in the newspapers or on the Internet, prepare resumes, send applications, appear at interviews and accept job offers. The process is indeed simple; it is not rocket science. Yet, as you probably know, a job search can sometimes extend to painfully long periods of time, going up to months or even years. And when a new job does not come along after repeated attempts, it is common for job seekers to point fingers in various directions.

Some people blame their qualifications. Some see the general scarcity of jobs as the main problem. To those who have many years of experience, the age appears to be the main barrier. There is no doubt that economy, market demand, qualification, [+]