Becoming noticed

I have found over the last 4 months or so that times have changed so much in the wonderful world of job hunting. Studies have been showing this for years but the trends of today are certainly going to be gone tomorrow and fast.
Personal Branding, Keywords, ensuring you are getting yourself out there......scary to even think about the possibilities, they seem endless. Who's right?
A quick example, I have been reinventing my outdated resume now for the last 3 months officially and I have been asking all my friends, acquaintances and basically anyone I know for assistance and everyone certainly has an option. I had the fortune however of having an HR Recruiter who specializes in resumes offer to take a look and she would critique it and send me her comments. To be very honest, it is very difficult to hear something back about yourself, something you have done, something you have not done and struggling to find your self confidence during this crucial time is very exasperating to say the very least. It is hard to have someone you have never met tell you in a matter of words, you SUCK!
That's not to say you didn't want the assistance, it's just that you weren't ready for everything to be dumped on you all at once.
So, you suck it up, grab a backbone and forge ahead. Re-writing and re-writing, spell checking, searching for the "KEYWORDS".......include the facts, leave out the fiction......so much has changed.

How do you become noticed? In each field of employment, there is competition and especially in today's economic crisis which we don't have to be reminded of daily, we find ourselves fighting in a war with one another. Find ways of getting noticed, putting yourself at the top of the pile.......all without sounding like a well........DB. Toot your own horn but don't sound conceded, ensure that these companies know that your exactly why they are looking for.
Creative wizards can certainly excel here but for those of us, regular Joe's like myself, how do we do that? Well, you have been inundated I am sure with the usual promises from the SPAM LIKE websites promising to put you in the TOP OF THE PILE, will completely re-write your resume and cover letter to make you look like the superstar you really are...........only for $600. WOW........didn't they hear me....I am currently UNEMPLOYED.....NOT MAKING ANY MONEY HERE!!

Trying to weed through the hype and the fact and fiction can certainly be daunting enough to make you crawl back into your comfy bed and hide, or fall back into the fetal position on the floor and suck your thumb and pray if you close your eyes, it will all go away. However, this is the exact time you have to turn to your friends and the experts for some sound advice and hopefully some assistance.
There are some fantastic websites out there that are specifically designed to help you with your fight. To get you out there, to ensure you are becoming noticed.
I for one believe that some focus and some small changes can truly make the biggest difference. Stay positive, ensure you have a fantastic support system around you for those grey days when you don't feel as though your situation is ever gonna change and take one step at a time.

Now, if you will excuse me, my Linkedin profile needs to be updated AGAIN and I have a few sites I need to go look at to ensure I myself are becoming noticed.