by Dan Schawbel, Author of "Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success"

Whether you're a recent college graduate or an experienced veteran, these numbers are intimidating, but you can't lose hope. A recent Careerbuilder.com survey states that 41 percent of workers who were laid off from full-time jobs found a new full-time position.

The jobs are out there, but the way in which you search, discover, apply and interview for these positions has changed over the past few years. The best way to get a job now is by building your own personal brand, becoming known for a specific expertise and then networking your way into your desired job -- not just one that will pay your bills.

Americans love brands and well-known brands can command premium prices, more respect and have greater opportunities than competitors. Just like Coca Cola, the iPhone and Paris Hilton, you are also a brand and can become a rock star in your industry.

Ivan R. Misner, Ph.D., with Michelle Donovan

Networking is more than just shaking hands and passing out business cards. Networking is really about building your social capital, according to the results of a survey of more than 2,000 businesspeople throughout the United States, U.K., Canada and Australia, published in "Masters of Networking" by Ivan Misner and Don Morgan. The survey respondents rated the traits related to developing and maintaining good relationships.

Here are the top 10 traits that make a master networker, ranked in order of their importance as judged by the respondents.

You may dread career fairs, but if you learn how to game them properly, you won't be wasting your time.

By Dimitri A.C. Ly, Career Advisor

Though a career fair is an excellent opportunity to explore different employment prospects, the sheer number of recruiters and competing job seekers attending the event can make it hard for you to get noticed. Also note that you should set reasonable expectations for yourself when attending a career fair; no employer is going to make you an offer on the spot, so your goal is simply to forge an initial connection with a wide variety of companies.

Follow these six tips in our career fair survival guide to make a lasting impression on recruiters and network your way to the top of the applicant lists.

If networking drives you nuts and you tend to think a while before you respond to interviewers' questions, you may find a job search especially difficult. Here's what to do.

By Anne Fisher, contributor

(Fortune) -- Dear Annie: I lost my job as an IT manager in a downsizing last November and am still looking for another one. Apart from the fact that the tech job market is pretty flat right now, and employers seem to be taking a wait-and-see approach to hiring, I think my personality is getting in my way.

I know I'm supposed to be networking, and I'm trying, but I find it exhausting, and I'm aware that I often don't come across well in a crowd of people I don't know. Also, in the few interviews I've managed to get, I've been asked some interesting questions that required some thought, and I got the impression that I took too long to answer them. My wife says I'm a classic introvert and that this is making my job hunt harder than normal. Your thoughts? -Sudoku Samurai