Yah, well, nothing is quite like Ask The Headhunter :-) and thanks for the compliment, but Nutter hits on some very good suggestions. (Okay, the bit about the job boards is out of a career book. I stand corrected. But note that Nutter quickly dispenses with Monster and Dice.)

I think his gems include taking notes while being laid off (good for legal backup), taking time off (yah, the books advise this, but few people do it), and dealing with finances and getting a handle on how to survive as long as possible. (Job hunting often results in desperately ignoring the rest of one’s life.)

Buried in his comments about recruiters is an important caution that is usally glossed over by the experts: avoid multiple recruiters.

Don’t wait for the phone to ring and get out of the house — everyone needs a kick to actually DO that. So, okay, Nutter’s stuff ain’t perfect. But it’s nice to see advice and tips from someone who’s just been through it, rather than from a freelance writer whose last story was about how to slim down.

Others include “updating your resume” to include plenty of key words that amuse the HR folks and their scanning software. But of course, one should keep in mind that the HR departments to be courted “move at their own pace.”

I’m not surprised to see this advice in yet another article. But I am surprised to read Nick’s praise for it: “No career-expert drivel here.” Really? A “fresh out-of-the-trench smell?”

Smells like something very different to me.

Hanging out on job boards, tarting up a resume with key words, and collecting pizza coupons apparently worked for Nutter. Good for him, and great for others that this may help.

But far more of my friends have succeeded with Nick’s strategy instead: Find great companies, solve real problems, and become part of real professional communities.

I’ll bet on that over job boards and pizza coupons every time.