VisualCV.com gives you the chance to build a unique web portfolio - a richer, more compelling version of your traditional paper/Word resume. You can add graphics, documents, audio and video files and go from telling about what you’ve done to showing… and selling.

The site recently held a “best VisualCV contest,” and not only are the winning entries inspiring, they have also led to job offers!

Oh… and the best part? You can build and host your VisualCV for free. No fees, no ads, no sponsorships.

I have been affiliated with the company since the planning stages - I’m on the advisory board and I wrote an “Insider’s Guide” for creating a powerful VisualCV. (It’s a free download.) So yes, I guess I am biased! But I haven’t seen anything that comes close to the ease and value of this free portfolio service. Not to mention the other value-added benefits that include connecting with employers, recruiters, and others.

It’s encouraging to see that job sites and services are emerging and evolving to better serve job seekers and employers alike… and to help relieve the incredible frustration occurring on BOTH sides of the hiring equation!

Here’s a list of a few sites that seem to be building a better mousetrap.

One of my favorites (included on the list) is JibberJobber - a great tool for keeping track of your job search, your career, your life! (If you’re my client, contact me about a complimentary upgrade to “premium” service.)

But never forget that all of this online stuff should be only an adjunct to a targeted, network-focused search. It can help you gather information, find resources and contacts, organize your search, and keep yourself on schedule. It can’t (a) take the place of human-to-human connection; (b) eliminate the grunt work of building a contact-to-contact chain toward your ultimate goal; or (c) find a job for you. Use it, benefit from it, but don’t rely on it as the sole source for your next job!

Are you afraid to specialize? Afraid that by stating your specific interests and expertise you’ll limit your opportunities?

Interestingly, the opposite is true. By trying to appeal to all interests, you appeal strongly to none. After all, employers want to hire people who are experts! If you were hiring for a very specific need, which candidate would you choose?

• CFO for any size company, public or private
• CFO with experience in public-company M&A and a background in technology start-ups

• Sales & Marketing Executive - multiple marketing channels, diverse products and services
• Sales & Marketing Executive - expert in building brands and creating demand for luxury consumer goods

It’s true that by defining your niche you won’t appeal to everybody. But… do you really want to? Wouldn’t you rather do what you love and work where your expertise is valued?

Career marketing is no different from product marketing! Just as Seth Godin says, “It might be easier to build a new sweet spot than it is to persuade an established middleman to change his rules for you.”

Too many job seekers persist in trying to convince recruiters that they are “perfect” for a job, when said recruiters clearly don’t agree. The rules are the rules… the job specs are the job specs. You have very little chance of being chosen for Oprah, the New York Times Book Review, the Harvard Business Review, Fast Company… or that particular opportunity… if you don’t fit the mold.

Why not, instead, determine your career “sweet spot” and go after it directly? Be prepared with persuasive evidence of how, specifically, you can help your target audience. How your experiences and expertise align with their goals. How you fit the culture, the challenge, and the opportunities on the horizon. Thrive in the mold that fits you!

In today’s fast-paced Internet culture, it’s easy to feel out of the loop if you’re not on LinkedIn, FaceBook, MySpace, and any and every other online social networking site. True - you need to stay abreast of technology and understand how to communicate using a variety of media. But never forget that most real networking is not done online. Your chief network starts with people you know (real people, not avatars) and extends to people you get to know through your network contacts.

So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath and start your networking activity by connecting with people you know - then move on from there, to the sites that seem appropriate. And to make the most of what’s out there, check out this very helpful post over on CareerHub about how to utilize LinkedIn for your job search.