Even though you have that shiny new resume in hand and you’re about to start interviewing, this is no time to be complacent. The market may have opened up a bit but it’s certainly still competitive. There are hundreds of applicants for the job you interviewed for. So what now?
Get out there and stay out there! If you didn’t have a twitter handle or GitHub to include on your resume, create one. If you don’t know what they are, research! Even if you’re not a Milennial, these tools and platforms are here to stay. The Queen of England just tweeted for crying out loud.
Just keeping your social and professional profiles up to date can be a full-time job, but what’s also really important is that you keep yourself fresh and engaged in your field during interviews. To be a great candidate, remember the secrets of dating. Be confident, be genuinely interested in the other person, and know what you have to offer. Don’t sell yourself short and make sure that the other person knows that you’re pretty handy to have around. If you don’t know what kind of value you offer and can’t articulate it, no one else will know either.
Have discrete examples and more background details about everything on your resume, and be prepared to incorporate that insight into all of your answers when interviewing. Take every opportunity to bring “Tell Me about a Time” questions back to the highlights you’ve captured on the resume.
Finally, the most important thing – never stop networking! Even if you’re happily employed you should always be open and receptive to possible new opportunities. You never know what could be around the corner, and if you don’t ask questions and talk to people about their careers, you may never realize that your neighbor or former colleague has connections at your dream job.