To stay ahead of the pack, use good search engine and social networking sites. Many jobs are posted in networking sites like linkedin. If you have mutual contacts, drop their names during conversation so you become memorable. If you're lucky enough to get an interview, be just as prepared.

  Be patient while you are doing job search. In this tough economy , companies are taking more time to create a budget for new employees and walking through so many resumes so that they can filter out best skill set they are looking for.
  Read the job posting carefully and try to modify your resume to bold out those skill sets.Highlight and give more preference to those skills. If they are doing any automatic scan , you resume should be in top list.
  Go online and post your resume in job portals.
  There is really no room for any error. Be prepared for your job interview , know the company well and be confident.
  Check your resume well and make sure you don't have any typos. Always carry a extra copy of your bio data.
  The competition is high, so always try to improve or add skills whenever possible.
  Browse job boards, search the classifieds, walk around the neighborhood -- look for jobs wherever you can. Some employers don't want to spend a lot of money advertising a job opening, so reach out to companies that might not have a job opening listed, as they might be quietly searching for new employees.
  Your connections, both social and professional, are invaluable resources during a job hunt. Even friends of friends you've only met at a cocktail party are worth touching base with during a job hunt. When you let people know that you're looking for a new job, they'll keep you in mind if they run across an open position at their workplaces or if they hear about one at a friend's company. You can cover more ground than if you search alone.
  Think about what you want to know. For ex : what is this organization like ,what are the responsibilities and skills of your job, history of company , products of company etc.
  "Know what you don't know!" Don't be reluctant to say you haven't had experiences in certain areas if you haven't. Do be ready to give ideas of how you will develop needed skills.