Employers are starting to realize there is going to be a shortage of workers.

I see it with college grads and older workers. Both think they've proved themselves and think they deserve a job.

Some wacky owners treat their companies like their own little fiefdoms.

The rule of thumb is that you dress one or two levels higher than the job that you're going for. If you were going for a job as a mechanic, you wouldn't go in there in dirty overalls, even though that's how you would dress for that kind of work. You would still go in there and show respect. You would go in with an open-collar shirt, clean pants and maybe a jacket.

The average American has been in a job for four years. Based on how bad the market was four years ago, many of these workers are ready to make a move.

Keeping in touch with one contact every six months is not enough. You need to keep in touch with several people in that department every two to three months.