Successful job searching often requires two things – inward reflection and the ability to change your strategies consistently. By doing so, it’s much easier to realize where any transgressions may have been made, and even in the event of an unsuccessful application, you can live and learn, developing a new mentality that will improve your chances as time goes on.

One such strategy you may want to adopt is that you won’t want to just apply to any job online. US News and World Report cited a survey that found just 15 percent of positions are generally filled using these boards. The vast majority of these situations see the jobs either filled internally or through a referral. The news source says that instead of being disheartened by this news, though, you should use it to set up several different tactics instead. Recruitment agencies, networking meetings and even volunteering can help you expand your horizons, giving you more connections that you can utilize over time to better gain access to these means.

In many cases, you won’t hear back immediately from a company after you’ve applied. Following up over a period of time can be a successful strategy, but don’t necessarily panic if you don’t hear anything, as this is a norm in many industries. Following up in a period of a week is a good idea, though some people find more success if they do so sooner. In some cases, hearing nothing isn’t a case of flat-out rejection, because a company will keep your resume on reserve if they like what they see. Though this is admittedly rare, you may receive a call months later – some people have reported receiving calls a year later.

Network early and often

Many people make the mistake of only beginning their networking process after they see a job posting that seems interesting to them. In some cases, this can be a fatal error to their odds of landing that position because it may have been circulating internally for days, even weeks, with frontrunners potentially already established. Networking should instead be put into action well before these positions are announced. There are a number of reasons for this. Put simply, you’ll get a chance to hear about the latest action in the company, to the point where you may hear about listings before they go up so you’ll be more prepared. Additionally, you’ll be able to discover more about the industry and further hone the application process, determining exactly where you’re interested in finding a job.

Be open with others

Above The Law reported that in some cases, it’s recommended to keep your job search on the down-low for as long as possible. Keeping this information from others can help you work toward your goals without outsider influence; the news source said the argument goes. But this is one of the easiest ways to see failure in the searching process, in fact. If people don’t know that you’re looking, any opportunities they see will pass without you even knowing. While you may want to keep yourself focused by relying on yourself, the odds are good that you’ll need others’ help, making closing yourself off pretty counterintuitive.

The news source also found that some people believe the job search is very cut-throat, to the point where helping others find work can only detract from your search. In fact, it’s the opposite. Anything you can do to help people will reflect positively on you over time, likely helping you find new experiences and opportunities that will be easy and effective for success in the future.