The traditional job-hunter will look at job boards, get emails from friends and relatives about jobs and will apply online for jobs with various companies.

However, there are some other opportunities to get the attention of someone in need of your skill set. Here are 3 non-traditional ways to create a little buzz about you!

Hand Spun Wool - Flickr photocredit: Amonja CC License

1. Write/Talk/Volunteer

Write for your local newspaper (online or print) - I write for AnnArbor.com as a community contributor because I want to help others. But there is a side benefit - it increases my visibility as well. The feedback I get online and offline from the articles I post make me feel useful and that is a good feeling to have when you are looking for a job.

Be open to talking to reporters or radio talk show hosts - if you are visible you might get a request to “help a reporter” talk about the job market or your job-hunting experiences. Remember if you get this opportunity, don’t be negative - keep it all positive.

Volunteer in your field or with others that are job-hunting. Volunteering is a great experience. You can help a non-profit to keep you talents up-to-date or you can volunteer with others that are unemployed. There are some great synergies that happen when you volunteer and you might be working with someone that can help you find a job in the future.

2. Join a group - one that's not job-hunting related

Job-hunting can be all-consuming, but you need fun as well. I learned to spin wool with the Spinners Flock out in Chelsea. It was fun and I didn’t think about job hunting the entire time I was there. It was a great stress reliever and the people in the group were a lot of fun to be around.

Find a group that has something you are interested in exploring. Keep it cheap or free, but get out there and interact with other human beings. Job hunting can be very isolating. It is important to interact and keep the soft skill of face-to-face conversation exercised.

3. Create a website or a blog

You have a talent - show it off. Create a website or blog about you, maybe your interest in photography or cooking. Just because you are job hunting doesn’t mean that you are a one-dimensional human being. Besides you can add some skills to your résumé by creating a website or blog.

Blog about the good things in life - do not blog about your old company or boss. Blog about something you are an expert in or something that you really enjoy such as motorcycles and snowmobiles - my friend Kathleen’s blog, she writes about her passions. Blog about where you are heading with your next job. Remember to keep it in your real voice and be authentic.

All of these ideas have one thing in common - they are the other side of job hunting. Sitting at the computer isn’t the only way to find a job. These activities also keep your skills fresh but more importantly they make you feel good - and that, is important.

Kim Kachadoorian is also known as the "Geeky Marketer". She maintains a job hunting blog Jobs in A2 as well as her Geeky Marketer Blog and Web Site (resume web site with fishing analogies).