How to land a job when you have zero connections

"Imagine this scenario," says Ryan Kahn, a career coach, founder of The Hired Group, and author of "Hired! The Guide for the Recent Grad." "You're a hiring manager trying to fill a position. You have two piles of résumés on your desk. In one pile, you have a stack of 100 résumés from qualified candidates who applied online. In the other pile, you have five résumés from candidates who were personally referred by your colleagues. Which pile would you tackle first?"

Most hiring managers would likely start with candidates who've already been vetted ... those who've come recommended, Kahn says. But if you have no connections, it doesn't mean you're doomed. There are still things you can do to help your résumé be seen.

Here are three suggestions: