Networking with follow-up is the most effective. The key to a successful job search is contacts. Most people can sell themselves better in person than on paper. While the tailored resumes you send to search firms, ads and direct mail targets are important and deserve your attention, they will never possess the power of a good relationship.

Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs
Henry Ford

There is no universally preferred format. Many job seekers spend days perfecting their resumes, agonizing over whether to use a chronological format or a functional one. This question may be akin to figuring how many angels will fit on the head of a pin. There is no one perfect resume to suit every employer's needs. But there is a perfect resume for a specific opportunity. If you are going to focus on perfection, do it on an individual, rather than a global basis.