“A job applicant tried to bribe me during the interview. She really wanted the job and asked how much she could pay me for it.”

This is just one of the amusing comments our company received when we asked office professionals to recount the biggest job search mistakes they had heard of or witnessed firsthand. Responses to our recent survey ran the gamut from colossal, one-of-a-kind mishaps (like the error above) to smaller, more mundane faux pas.

Following are examples of typical job search blunders and tips on how you can avoid them:

“One gentleman submitted a résumé that contained misspelled words and an orange juice stain.”
The importance of carefully proofreading your job-application materials can’t be overstated. Submitting a résumé or cover letter with spelling or typographical errors is a surefire way to make a lousy impression on a prospective employer. On the other hand, by crafting well-written — and stain-free — documents, you’ll send the message that you are a polished, detail-oriented professional.

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Maintaining an edge over other candidates is of chief concern for every job seeker. Some gain an advantage by submitting well-crafted application materials, while others set themselves apart with insightful responses during the interview. Increasingly, though, individuals searching for employment are using a different tool: the Internet.

With personal Web sites, blogs, social-networking site profiles, message board posts and newsgroup comments all floating in cyberspace, you can use the Web to present a hiring manager with a wealth of information about your professional qualifications with just a few clicks of the mouse. The key is maintaining a positive online presence. Here’s how:

Leverage the Web
You can act as your own public relations agent by launching a polished and professional Web site or blog related to your career. Post your résumé and links to any industry association articles that you have authored or been quoted in, and reference noteworthy accomplishments or speaking engagements. By highlighting your communication abilities and showing that you track industry news and trends, you can position yourself as a leader in the field, build a positive Web presence and better market your skills to employers.

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Employers have many established processes for screening job candidates. Companies use detailed job descriptions to highlight the qualities they hope to find in the ideal applicant. Hiring managers also thoroughly review résumés and other job-application materials, in addition to asking pointed interview questions and checking references. During your next job search, consider using these same approaches to locate an organization that is right for you.

For the past few years, people had been struggling to find employment, and many took whatever work they could find. Now, however, job seekers have more leverage in the hiring process and, therefore, the freedom to be somewhat choosier than before.

According to the “Employment Dynamics and Growth Expectations (EDGE) Report” by Robert Half International and CareerBuilder.com, hiring managers are struggling to overcome a “shortage of qualified workers.” As a result, those candidates with the most in-demand skill sets are in the driver’s seat. Following are tips for finding the job that’s right for you.

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Gina is dressed in an expensive, new — and slightly itchy — suit, hoping that the mint she almost choked on is masking the smell from the chili she unwisely chose to eat at lunch and willing the sweat glands in her palms to behave until she at least has shaken hands.

Will is also wearing a new suit. He’s simultaneously trying to cover up the stain from the coffee he just spilled on himself, generate what he hopes is intelligent conversation and maintain eye contact.

One of these people is on a first date, the other is at a job interview, but which is which? In both instances, each was trying to impress and get to know someone else, figure out what the other person had to offer, and ultimately decide if he or she wanted to commit to that person on a long-term basis. Both the date and the job interview can generate feelings of excitement and nervousness, and their outcomes can mean the difference between starting from scratch or living happily ever after.

Ten years ago, Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider co-wrote the best-selling book “The Rules,” a guide based on the authors’ own experiences to help women find and keep “Mr. Right,” and have since written various other versions of the book. Sure, it’s not the most feminism-forward piece of literature, and its “success” rate is unknown, but when applied to the job search, “The Rules” actually includes good (gender-neutral) advice for the job seeker.

Here, the Top 10 Rules, as listed on Fein and Schneider’s Web site, and how you can apply them to your job search.

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One of the hardest things about being out of a job is the uncertainty. Plagued by questions, you lie awake wondering, “How long will I be out of work?” “Will I need to relocate?” “Should I pay that nonrefundable summer camp deposit?”

Jeremy, a real estate professional, had been out of work for four months. His savings were running low, he had exhausted his network and he was starting to panic. His wife suggested he call Nancy Orlen Weber, a psychic she had seen on Court TV.

“I felt a little silly calling in to a psychic,” Jeremy admits. “But I needed answers and I thought, ‘If she can locate a missing person, she should be able to help me find a job’.”

During the consultation, Weber told him she didn’t see a real flow of income coming from the real estate market for a while. She suggested he take a job just to pay the bills and relieve pressure until the market improved in a year or so.

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