As I sit here on Sunday afternoon writing this newsletter, Readers, I’m anxious about the fate of my Yankees in tonight’s playoffs.

As Cubs fans have learned for the 99th year in a row, "wanting to win" and "winning" aren’t synonymous. Being likable, or talented, or qualified just isn’t quite "good enough" to get you into the finals, whether it is in baseball or in interviewing for your next $100k+ job.

It also takes discipline, hard, hard work, perseverance, and the ability to make your own luck.

You know, I’ve looked through a number of your bios on our site, and I can tell you it’s definitely an impressive group of people we have collected here at TheLadders.com - "The Nation’s Largest Society of Top Talent."

But it takes more than talent and impressiveness. It takes diligence, the right preparation, and a little help from your friends to get your next great role in life, Readers.

So this week, as you set about your job hunt, I’d like you to remember this trio of tips:

Follow-up: many people are good at follow-up, but you’d be surprised at how many flub it. My formula: once a week for five weeks leave the message, "Hi, this is Guest, just calling to follow up on our discussions / interview / correspondence, and wanted to let you know I am still interested. Looking forward to speaking with you further!"

There’s no need for long elaborations, or daily pleadings. Just remind your contact, in the midst of their busy week, that you are still out there and interested. If you haven’t heard back after 3 weeks, you’re likely not going to hear back, but being the diligent sort that you are, you’re going to follow through and make those last two calls, OK?

Resume: I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. You need to get your resume professionally written.

As Abraham Lincoln said, a lawyer who represents himself has a jackass for an attorney and a fool for a client. I feel a little less strongly about self-written resumes, but just a little.

You are too close to yourself, and can’t objectively see what parts of your career really sell well to the resume screeners, HR departments, and hiring managers out there. Just like your company needs an investment bank to sell its stock, or you need a real estate agent to sell your home, or you need a direct marketing expert to write the copy for your new mailer, you need an expert to write a resume that sells you.

Qualified networking: I’m not a big believer in those networking events for the unemployed or the job-seeker. Yes, some of them work, but by-and-large, you need to be chatting with people who have jobs to fill, not those who have to find a job.

So, I’ll ask that you make an extra special effort this week at qualified networking. That’s networking when you already have a little bit of information that helps make you look smart, and helps get you ahead. So rather than calling up your old college buddy and say "hey, have you heard about any openings anywhere?", call them up armed with the information you find at TheLadders.com and come across as somebody in the know:

Say, Suzy, how’s it going? Hey, did you hear that IBM is hiring somebody in your position over in the Davenport branch? Yeah, check it out on TheLadders.com.

Hey, I also noticed that your company is hiring somebody for my role. Yeah, it’s true! Do you know who the real decision maker is on that one? I’d sure appreciate if you could give me a ’warm introduction’ by e-mail... Thanks Suzy!

Now that’s how you should network. Rather than the dreaded "I’m a desperate friend who needs a new job" call, you’re giving great information, you look like you’re in control of your own situation, and as a result, you look like a winner. And Suzy is definitely going to help a winner! (just like, I hope, my Yankees were last night!!)

So this week, focus on doing qualified networking, folks.

OK, Readers, three is the magic number, so that’s all the advice for this week! (I love the reference to faith and hope and charity there, by the way.)

Go get ’em!