Pamela Kleibrink Thompson.

Few endeavors are as daunting as a job search. You send out countless resumes to faceless prospective employers until days fade together in a hazy fog. Using a few tricks to systematize the process will improve your chances of success.

Recently I was surprised to learn that a career-coach client didn't know all the places he'd applied -- he wasn't keeping track. It's important to keep a record of where you apply, so you know if you've applied to over 100 companies or it just feels that way. You need to know who you contacted at the company you are keen to work for. You also need to know when you contacted the company. Has it been two months since you called, or has it been just two days? You're anxious to get a job, but you don't want to harass the hiring manager or human resource department. You don't want them to think you are a stalker by contacting them too often.

You need to approach your job search in an organized way. You need to set up a system so you can follow up with your job leads and applications.

Contact-management software makes this process easy. But you can do it with a three-ring binder, some notebook paper, a three-hole punch and a pen. Here's how to do it with the cheap stuff:

Label the spine and front of the binder with your name and "Job Search."

For every company you apply to, you will have a separate piece of paper in the binder.

Label the top of the paper with:
Company Name; Contact info (web address, mail address, phone number); Type of company (games, visual effects, animation); Company projects/credits

Then below that:
Contact name; contact's job title; where you met; who referred you and when; when you made contact; what you sent; position applied for; skills highlighted; feedback; and follow up date

Here's how it works:

Company Name: Potato Productions
Contact Info: www.potatoes.com, 5850 Lettuce Lane, Spud, OR 503-585-5000
Type of company: Games
Titles/Credits: Spud City, Spud Racer, Evil Eye

Contact Name: Ida Gold, Art Director
Where Met/Who Referred and When: Game Developers Conference, April 07
When Contacted: 9/29/07
What sent: Resume, cover letter, modeling/texturing reel

Position applied for: Modeler/Texture Artist
Skills highlighted: pointed out in cover letter did textures/modeling on Lettuce Alone for Cabbage Creations
Feedback: haven't heard a word