Luck is no longer the supreme factor it once was in the job search. Neither is time invested. Using traditional online job boards, you posted your resume, applied for jobs, and hoped that the roulette wheel would stop spinning when the pointer reached your name.

That approach was always a time drain and it is becoming even less reliable. Consider these recent online job search statistics:

• There are currently 120,000,000 U.S. based resumes stored in online job boards
• An average of 245 people apply to a single online job posting
• 68 percent of available jobs are never posted online
• 5 percent of jobs are filled through job boards
• 7 percent of online applicants for a job get an interview

These figures combine to deliver one overwhelming impression: job boards should comprise only a small fraction of the time you spend in your job hunt. There are far more effective ways to spend your time that deliver much stronger and quicker returns on investment. Here are a few suggestions from our HR professionals:

1. Work with a staffing firm in your industry.

Staffing firms like Imprimis Group have local expertise in the industries in which they specialize. They have years of experience working for both client employers and job candidates. Staffing agency recruiters often have the greatest depth of knowledge on a local industry that you can access as a job hunter. If you have solid qualifications, they can present you to client companies that have the greatest need for your skill set. They can also provide valuable advice on targeting your resume to certain employers based on their needs. In addition, they can advise you on any deficiencies in your resume or skill sets that you may be able to overcome with training or other professional development avenues.

2. Write “pain letters”

Write letters targeted to the hiring managers at the companies where you would like to work. Conduct your research through LinkedIn and by phone to determine the right contact, and then write a carefully constructed letter which essentially explains how you can solve the “pain” or alleviate the problems the manager is experiencing. We explained this approach in detail in a recent post every job hunter must read, entitled Job Hunters, Stop Writing Cover Letters and Start Writing “Pain Letters.”

When you write these letters, consider the importance of conveying your fit within the target company’s culture. Consider that in a recent Jobvite survey, 60 percent of recruiters rate culture fit of high importance when making a hiring decision, topped only by previous job experience at 67 percent.

3. Become a LinkedIn wizard

If we could assemble an all-star team of local professionals based on their ability to quickly land high-paying jobs doing exactly what they love, guess what they would have in common. Close to 100 percent would be excellent at networking. This doesn’t necessarily mean these people would all have 500+ contacts on LinkedIn. Quality is what counts. You influential people who can help you get referrals to believe in your abilities. Corporate recruiters rate employee referrals as the second best source of new hires, next to internal hires, according to a recent Jobvite survey. That survey also reveals that 87 percent of recruiters find LinkedIn most effective when vetting candidates during the hiring process—especially those under age 45.

Only a small fraction of your referrals will likely come from professionals you have worked with directly, if you manage your LinkedIn presence effectively. The rest will come through networking through primary contacts to secondary contacts (and beyond). We have some great resources on mastering LinkedIn, and we receive many letters from successful candidates thanking us for the advice we provided in these articles:

Get Hired by Raising Your Rank on LinkedIn

LinkedIn: Double the Power of Your Profile in Two Days

Top 3 Ways to Network on LinkedIn

How to Find the Best LinkedIn User Groups for Networking in Your Profession

In addition to helping you land a great job, taking these creative approaches will enable you to reflect on who you are, where you’ve been, and where you’re going. That may be the most rewarding outcome of your job search.