Best Job Application Ever -- Updated for 2012

On my recent trip to New York, a woman told me about her husband's job search. He sent out 300 resumes before he got an interview. He was eventually hired, but at far less than he was earning before. People tell me this story over and over. They send out 200, 400 or even more resumes. The result is either a low paying or no job. Fortunately, there is a better way, one that might have a better chance.

Sending out a job application or resume worked in 1934, but it won't work in the 2012. What might work in the Internet Age is sending out a web link to a page showing a year's worth of accomplishments.
Seth Godin suggests doing something like this over the next two years:

• Spend twenty hours a week running a project for a non-profit.
• Teach yourself Java, HTML, Flash, PHP and SQL. Not a little, but mastery.
• Volunteer to coach or assistant coach a kids sports team.
• Start, run and grow an online community.
• Give a speech a week to local organizations.
• Write a regular newsletter or blog about an industry you care about.
• Learn a foreign language fluently.
• Write three detailed business plans for projects in the industry you care about.
• Self-publish a book.
• Run a marathon.

(Don't be afraid if you can't do everything on this list. Seth Godin probably could do all of them. I don't think I could.)

All of these things can be done for free. All you need is a laptop, a commitment, and plenty of coffee.