According to PayScale, finding a job is still difficult.  When you factor in people who have been out of work for 15-plus weeks and those underemployed, the effective unemployment rate has been about 10 percent for the last year.  That means there is a lot of competition out there.  If you have been hunting and aren't finding what you want, you might consider changing your approach.  PayScale has the following recommendations to become an ideal candidate.1.  Show Your Proven Work Ethic.   A recent survey from CareerBuilder listed intangible personality skills (soft skills) as important as technical skills.  These soft skills include being dependable, having a positive attitude and showing a strong work ethic.  Use specific anecdotes from past work experiences to highlight these soft skills during an interview.2.  Have Credible References.  Job references are extremely important in your job search.  You must be confident in what the reference will say about you before you give their name to a perspective employer.  Always call to make sure the reference is willing to do this.  Make sure your discuss the job specifics and how you feel you meet the criteria.  If your reference also feels positive, then use them.3.  Balance Eagerness with Openness.  According to Bullhorn, 43 percent of recruiters would consider blacklisting candidates who applied to irrelevant position or those for which they weren't qualified.  If it's your dream job, go for it.  But don't apply to EVERY job.

Finding a new job may take a while, don't give up.  Try different approaches.