• Finding work often involves sending out countless resumes in hopes that someone takes a look. But there are better ways to catch a company’s eye, especially while hiring is slow amid a crisis like the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Top tips for finding your dream job and landing an ace position include far more than impressive cover letters, say hiring managers and career experts.
  • Subscribe to our Job Seekers list to help you land your dream job.

Even though hiring may be down during the coronavirus pandemic, job seekers shouldn’t fear: Plenty of companies are looking for skilled workers.

With record numbers of people filing for unemployment, however, competition for openings will be stiff. That’s why Business Insider compiled the ultimate guides to making you stand out in the crowd and find work that’s both lucrative and career advancing.

Here is what top recruiters, managers, and successful job seekers themselves said about landing roles during a crisis and beyond.

Adapting your job search to times of crisis

Finding work in a downturn: 3 Great Recession grads who now earn 6 figures and have worked for Netflix and Bank of America share the exact steps they took to land a job during a downturn

Getting recruited when the economy is bad: Recruiters and career coaches who survived the Great Recession share their most urgent advice for finding a job during a new economic downturn

The value of networking: 5 experienced recruiters who've worked through the Great Recession reveal the best way to network and put yourself on a recruiter's radar when hiring is slow

Dealing with radical change: Recruiters who've worked with companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and PayPal reveal how job seekers can prepare for the worst as the pandemic changes how companies hire

Building needed skills: Social isolation could be a 'golden opportunity' for your career. Here's exactly how to use the extra time to network and develop in-demand skills for the new economy.

Marketing yourself: Top CIOs share the steps tech job seekers should take right now to market themselves for a high-paying role during economic hard times

Using tech and social media to your advantage

Connecting on apps: A new iPhone app connects you directly to recruiters from companies like Facebook and Wealthfront - here's how you can use it to find a job during the pandemic

Networking online: How to create your own networking opportunities online and connect with key players, according to entrepreneurs, coaches, and executives who've done it

Attracting recruiters: Seasoned recruiters reveal the best way to network with them on social media to put yourself in the running for your dream job

Sending strong emails: Use this exact email template from a LinkedIn career expert to network and find a new job during a recession

Bolstering LinkedIn: Recruiters for companies like Microsoft and Intuit share the LinkedIn headlines that instantly draw them in as they search for top talent on the platform

Making your profiles stand out: The best way to make yourself stand out on social media to get poached for a job, according to recruiters who've hired for Amazon, Microsoft, the New York Stock Exchange, and more

The art of the cold message: This LinkedIn message took 2 minutes to write and got the sender a job at a successful startup - even though they weren't hiring

Navigating virtual career fairs: 10 expert-backed tips for navigating virtual career fairs and making sure you stand out to hiring managers

Selling yourself so recruiters can't ignore you

Building a personal brand: The CEO of a recruiting-software company that works with Slack and Airbnb explains how to build a personal brand and stand out in a sea of applicants

Becoming poachable: Here's exactly how to make yourself 'poachable' and land on a recruiter's radar for your dream job

Avoiding big errors: 5 mistakes job seekers make that immediately turn off recruiters that try to 'poach' them for a role

Crafting an AI-friendly resume: A robot will probably read your résumé before a human does. Here are 3 simple tricks to make sure they don't pass it by.

Simple solutions to your biggest job-hunt questions

Leveraging skills without a degree: 15 fast-growing, high-paying jobs where you only need an associate's degree

Expediting the search: Experts share 9 simple but underused tricks to make your job search as painless as possible

Nailing the interview: Engineers from top tech companies like Google, Netflix, and Twitter offer their best tips for nailing a job interview - and the questions they faced when applying for their roles