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. That way, HR professionals will get to your resume first thing in the morning, which gives your resume a better chance to be noticed.
  2. Prepare to discuss your salary requirements during the first screening interview with the HR or the hiring manager. Depending on your field, you might not be asked right away what you are looking for but it's better to be prepared in case you are asked. After all, neither you nor the company wants to spend time in interviews when your salary and other remuneration expectations are different. Be prepared to talk about the complete compensation package if necessary (base, bonus, equity and vacation allowance).
  3. Research the people 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, ask so that you can get ready.
  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 the 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 and this will come across in a positive way.
  9. Never lie at your interview about anything - your past salaries or credentials especially. These things can (and likely will) be verified by your prospective employer and you will risk losing a job offer
  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...