The job landscape continues to be difficult to navigate, especially for those already unemployed. If you're in this position, you probably want your job search to be over as quickly as possible. Here are five ideas to help shorten your search.

Assess Your Goals
Take time to assess your goals and what you want in a job. Knowing this can help you ace that interview question, asking why you want to work for the company. It's also important to know your own goals so you aren't fruitlessly searching in areas you aren't interested in, and wasting your time at interviews. Interviewers can quickly pick up on your lack of interest and won’t appreciate the lost time any more than you do.

Increase your Visibility
Networking is extremely important in today's job landscape. One way to expand your network is to increase your visibility. Sign up for social media sites, and let everyone know you are looking for employment. You never know when someone might know of a position perfect for your skill sets. Online on different job sites you can even get reminders, newsletters, and notifications when places you are interested in post a job.

Get a Professionally Written Resume
There is a lot of evidence that a professionally written resume can significantly up your chances of getting noticed. Professional resume writers can tailor your resume to address the company and industry you are applying to rather than just sticking to one blanket copy.

Prepare for Your Interview
Another extremely important tip to consider, is making sure you are completely prepared for any interview you may get. You don’t want to be hesitating and staring into space when the interviewer asks you about yourself. Make sure your answers directly speak to your abilities and skills in relation to the company you're applying to. Along with this, make sure you have your salary requirements laid out as well.

Do Your Own Background Check
Employers are increasingly making use of background checks these days due to a rise in negligent hire lawsuits. Preemptively do your own background check so you can see if there are any questionable issues or even wrong information on your report. A background checking company like PeopleFacts can help you figure out where to start. If you find something wrong on your report, you can dispute it with the background checking company and address it with your potential employer.

Remember that a job search is only as effective as the effort you put into it. If you want to make it as short as possible, then you should consider exploring every avenue that might give you an edge in the market.