One of your first steps in preparing to seek employment should be to

A) write the story of you, including what you're passionate about, your abilities, and so forth.
B) call some potential employers and ask for interviews.
C) visit promising businesses and ask if they have any openings.
D) come to terms with the fact that you will have little to no control over where you end up.
E) update your online presence, including Facebook and LinkedIn sites.

Answer: A
Explanation: A) An effective job search strategy is to create your own personal brand, based on your abilities and aspirations. This step should be completed before you contact potential employers or apply for positions. Even in tough markets, you have some control over your choice of where you want to work and how to present yourself to target employers.