The Ultimate Young Professional Job Seeker's GuidE

It's always hard to start a job search when you haven't done it for a while so here is a refresher on what you should be prepared to do:
  1. Apply to jobs early in the morning Monday through Thursday (by 830AM if possible): This way, the HR manager will get to your resume first thing in the morning, which gives your resume a better chance to be noticed and will show them that you are a dedicated, early riser, and a great job candidate. 
  2. Prepare to discuss your salary requirements during the first screening interview with the HR or the hiring manager: You may not get this question right away, but sometimes you will, so be prepared. Neither you, nor the company wants to spend time in interviews when your salary and other expectations are different. Be prepared to talk about the complete compensation package if necessary). Always state your range if asked about a package. For example: I am looking for a compensation package (salary, vacations, etc) in the range of $50-$60K per year which will allow you to have more room for negotiations later.
  3. Conduct thorough research about your employer(s) who you are going to be interviewed by: Find out what they are interested in and if you have anything in common: Perhaps, you went to the same school or have similar hobbies. Their LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and other online community profiles will give you this information. Usually, the HR manager will inform you who you are going to be interviewed by. If they don't, you need to ask HR for the employer names and contact information so that you can get ready for the interview at least 3 days ahead of time. After all, the person you will be working with will appreciate working with an employee on a daily basis (if hired of course) who has some similarities to him/her!!!
  4. Research the company you are interviewing with: Know what they do and be able to explain it. One of the common screening questions HR will ask is: "What do you know about our company?"
  5. Ask questions at the end of your interview. Here is a good resource for some ideas.
  6. Be enthusiastic about this opportunity: Your interviewer will feel you either want this job or you are not very interested. (To whom would you rather make an offer?)
  7. If you haven't done something required for the job, think of similar things you have done in your career and give these as examples.
  8. The more you prepare for the interview, the more confident you will feel: Remember, request 3 days to prepare for your interview, and do not accept same day interviews unless the employer truly doesn't have any other slots that week to dedicate to this process, which they almost always do! Confidence will come across in a positive way and is an essential key in getting that dream job offer.
  9. Never lie at your interview about anything: especially about your past credentials on your resume (Professional Certifications, Personal Accomplishments, Etc.) These details can be verified by your prospective employer and you will risk losing a job offer if they are or if the employer sees that you are stalling in answering questions about your resume!
  10. References: ask your former colleagues/bosses if they will give you a reference. Once you get a "yes", remind them of the projects you worked on and the results you achieved. This will warm them up for a call.
  11. Last but not least: don't burn bridges when you leave your current job. Having connections whom you can ask for a reference is always helpful. Make your best effort to train a new person who will be taking over your job, record helpful videos and organize your files. Let your manager know you've done this. After all, no one knows what the future holds. You might work with these people again...