To level the job search playing field women learn to express themselves assertively in their business relationships. This is especially true when they are in the job market.

It's all part of strategizing a successful job campaign in advance of sitting down with a prospective employer. As EEI points out in its innovative job search system, nothing will happen to further your career unless and until you meet face-to-face with a decision-maker.

EEI, a pioneer in alternative job search strategies, recommends that you dump the idea of interviewing in favor of establishing rapport and chemistry with an employer through a carefully scripted dialogue.

In other words, if you aren't speaking at least 50% of the time you're in front of your next employer, you're missing an opportunity to reveal how you solve problems, think creatively, and present the contributions you can make going forward.

A noted career coach, Molly Dickinson Shepard, points out that men get more than their share of money and power in the American workplace.

She advises women to step up to the competitive plate by excelling in communication . . . gaining an advantage by practicing talking tips:

1. Speak up in business meetings. Don't wait too long to present a decisive, briefly worded opinion.

2. Stick to the big picture. Details are what make men think they ramble.

3. State your point briefly--and then stop talking. Silence gives others a chance to digest what you say, and respond intelligently.

4. Don't sit where the boss can't see you. If the room is crowded, stand up so you can be heard.

5. Assertive speech is good, aggressive is bad.

Shepard's tips are aimed at women in business meetings while on the job. But , according to EEI, her informative approach applies equally to women who are engaging a prospective employer before a job comes along. In both cases your success will not depend on what you used to do, but on how well you can communicate who you are and what you can do going forward.