The New York Times website has been featuring some very interesting interactive graphics about all sorts of things, but primarily regarding what is on a lot of people’s minds: employment and the economy.

Have a look at one of the most recent interactive graphics, which depicts the unemployment rate of people like you.

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Sure, people get lucky sometimes, but maximize your interview chances by following these four tips–or, rather, these four non-tips.

Send in Resume Before Talking to Someone at the Company

This just doesn’t work. If you can talk to someone before sending in a resume and include a cover letter saying something about how you made contact, you will increase your chances of having your res looked at exponentially.

Job Fairs

These tend to be a waste of time–especially if companies in the booths don’t even accept resumes. These amount to being nothing more than cattle drives.

Headhunters

Why pay someone to find a job? These guys aren’t the kind of headhunters you want to work with. The company looking to hire is the one who pays for this kind of service. If one of these people asks for a check, tell them to take a hike.

Resume Blasts

This is nothing more than spam. No one likes a generic cover letter. BORING.

There are three things employers really are concerned with when they are searching for job candidates.

First, employers want to know if you have the “chops”–the experience and the ability to do the job they want you to do with the minimum amount of training.

Second, employers want someone who they wouldn’t mind seeing around the office everyday and working on projects with. Can I actually work with this guy or gal? Does she really understand what we want her to do? Will he make me look good or will I look like an idiot for hiring him?

Third, employers want someone who really wants the job. A big problem some companies run into (especially smaller ones) is spending a lot of money getting a new hire up to speed and trained, only to have them leave for another company with their newly acquired skills and training in their back pocket. The most expensive asset most companies invest in are employees. People are expensive.

If you really are interested in the job, prove it. Contact people from the company to talk about the position. Keep in touch. Sure, this isn’t always going to work, but the more effort you put into getting the job and showing genuine interest, the better your chances become for landing it.

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