If your dream job were sailing away, what would you do?

Q: You found the job of your dreams. Trouble is, the company has three final candidates and is about to make a hiring decision. This late in the game, your odds of getting an interview are slim to none. So, what do you do next?

Nick's reply: The key to this challenge lies in the expression "job of your dreams." How often does one of those come along? Not often. Don't let anything distract you from a rare opportunity. Go for it. If there's not something for which you'd damn all the torpedoes and go full steam ahead, what's life (or your career) for?

In such circumstances, the usual means aren't worth even considering. Why risk failure by using conventional methods in the pursuit of your dream? Resumes are a poor enough tool; relying on HR is even worse. I'd call my senator -- but before you roll your eyes ...

The single greatest edge anyone can have when applying for a job is the influence of a powerful party. Power doesn't have to mean a senator (or a hired thug). It can be the CEO of a respected company who happens to know your dad or the head of a relevant industry association. It might be a top sales rep who deals with your target company, the company's banker, or just a respected employee of the company. Power in this case is credibility -- the word of a trusted colleague who can influence the employer.

If you spend the next 24 hours creatively tracking down someone who can refer and recommend you to a decision-maker at this company, you're taking your best shot. Do it.

Does this guarantee you an interview or a job? Of course not. But this approach separates new hires from wannabes. My point: If you do nothing out of the ordinary to achieve your goal, you will likely fail because you are pursuing the job like an ordinary job hunter. A good company isn't looking for ordinary. It's looking for remarkable. It's looking for the enthusiasm of a strong referral; a credible friend of the company who recommends you. Investing effort in influencers is the single most important thing you can do for your career. This is where you must start, especially when you're late to the game and the door is about to close.

Consider one way that companies go after the top people in the field when they want to hire the best. They buy the influence of a headhunter who courts and delivers exceptional talent. You don't need to spend money to get near your intended employer, but you should take exceptional measures. Remember that this is the job of your dreams. If you don't go after it with passion, you must ask whether you deserve it.

Copyright 2008. Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate

Nick Corcodilos is author of "Ask The Headhunter: Reinventing the Interview to Win the Job" and the host of www.asktheheadhunter.com. He can be reached by e-mail at seattle@asktheheadhunter.com or at North Bridge Group, P.O. Box 600, Lebanon, NJ 08833. Sorry, no personal replies.