Five Ways Your Friends Should Be Helping You Land Your Next Job

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Here are five ways I suggest job hunters tap their friends to help get that next gig.

1. Ask friends for candor: Have friends scrutinize every aspect of the "package" you present to potential employers—from your cover letter and resume to the outfits you wear to interviews. Even the most self-aware among us need the enhanced perspective that comes with candid feedback. Many friends aren't used to being asked for total honesty, so make sure they understand that's what you want—if they care about you, they'll dish it. Their responses—and your willingness to act on them—may be the single most important factor in improving your application.