"There's really no point in trying to apply for a job on a job board," says Wunderlich, who lives in Chicago. "There are so many other people who are hitting the job boards and sending résumés like crazy, and I know this because I was in recruiting." Wunderlich used her extensive network of contacts on , , , and to learn of new career opportunities. "I have not applied for a job or sent a résumé out. I've had all this activity and meetings, and it's all from the network," says Wunderlich, who was still on the job hunt as of late March.

A new collection of Web 2.0 tools, including social networks and online résumé builders that enliven your résumé with multimedia elements, are helping job seekers market themselves in a tough economy. Internet-based services can help you stand out from the crowd, and résumé-creation sites are a good place to start. Among them is , a free service that lets you construct a résumé enhanced with audio and video clips, photos, slide shows, and charts. You can link your VisualCV résumé to other social media accounts, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Similar, if less impressive, sites include , which charges extra for multimedia embedding, and , which offers a less-intuitive résumé builder.

Be a Schmoozer

Are social networks a better way for job seekers to find work? For laid-off professionals, particularly those active in online communities, the answer may be yes. "By the time a listing has been posted on Monster, you're already behind," says LinkedIn spokesperson Kay Luo. "Generally, companies already have a couple of candidates they're interested in. And then you have to compete with the flood of résumés that comes in."

How can job seekers use social networks effectively? The key is to be an effective networker before getting pink-slipped. "People can't wait until they lose their jobs to start networking," says Wunderlich. "Everybody should be doing it now."