These invaluable secrets may help you land a new gig.

How To: Tap the Network

Brainstorm with anyone who might help you connect with an organization where you’d like to work, advises GE’s Steven Canale. Introduce yourself to speakers at professional and technical association gatherings, tap alumni networks, and mine your address book. If you’ve been at home for a while, don’t overlook community connections (the PTA, for example, or Little League board), because these are people who’ve seen you in action. If you can motivate volunteers, you can motivate anyone.

Use social media to make an “in.” LinkedIn is your best bet, with 100-plus-million members worldwide. Keep your message brief, demonstrate that you’ve done legwork to understand whom you’re reaching out to, and ask to follow up with a phone call or short meeting. Also ask if you can forward your resume, recommends PNC’s Jillian Snavley, rather than sending it initially.

How To: Prepare for an Interview

Scour the web for news and information on your prospective employer. The Investor Relations section of the company’s website will have the latest annual report. Check out branded Facebook pages, where some companies post local recruiting events, and Twitter feeds. See if the executive you’ll be meeting has a bio on LinkedIn.

Jot down achievements you want to discuss, recommends Ed Colbert, director of talent management for Dow Corning. While you don’t want to appear scripted during an interview, it’s a good exercise to organize your thoughts beforehand.

Do a dry run. Cast a spouse or friend in the role of interviewer. Companies use behavioral interviewing—essentially, open-ended questions to learn how you think and handle situations. (Check out jobinterviewquestions.org for common examples.) “People make the mistake of being vague,” says Jennifer Donnelly Bowen, associate vice president of human resources at the University at Buffalo. “We want to hear specifics about what a person did, decisions they made and results they achieved.”

How to Wow Them

Use impeccable manners. You should be well groomed, and your supporting materials should be, too. For instance, a professional email (no squirrelmonkey@nutso.com), a signature line with your contact information and a voicemail message free of trendy songs or your kids’ voices. Keep prior employers’ information confidential. Follow up with a thank-you note or email.

Give credit. Inclusive leadership is high on many companies’ wish lists. They want employees who can motivate others to perform at their peak. Try for “we” versus “I” statements when talking about team achievements. If you’ve been out of work, it’s okay to have those examples come from your personal life—whether it’s chairing a charity fund-raiser or serving on a school committee. “I believe that bright, talented women who took some time off are still bright,  talented women,” says Booz Allen’s Kristine Martin Anderson.

Be ready to share. Explain what makes you tick, including hobbies outside work. Companies want to hire people who live full, engaged lives—and will bring that same excitement to work.