The 500 (or more!) Secrets of Job Hunting

41) interviewer is often as nervous (if not more so) than interviewee...

42) Write a thank you letter

<I so infrequently get one, where at one point it was shocking not to send one, it is almost shocking now to get one - by the way, most people who have sent a thank you, I've hired - not necessarily because of the letter, I'm guessing that the same sort of person that writes a thank you letter is the same sort that is fully prepared for the interview>

So true about the thank-you note.

#43. Research the company! Even a little bit -- you're still, usually, miles ahead of everyone else. I went to a job fair about a month ago, saw an employer and they asked if I knew what they did. I said yes, and rattled off the one factoid I remembered about them. Today, I had my first day of employment there,

44. Don't be afraid to apply "up" a level from what you might realistically be placed. Often a company promotes from within leaving open a job you might be perfect for. If you do manage to get an interview and get called on your qualifications be honest about your intent to simply get your foot in the door.

45. Have a good, clean joke to tell.

I hired in an industry where personal skills were often more important than technical expertise. I always asked people to tell me a joke. I caught them off guard and told me a lot about them by what they found funny.

Congrats on the new job, Jespah!

Thank you very much!

#46. Look for work even when you feel secure in your current employment, even when the job is new, because circumstances change all the time, companies are bought, etc. You need not be hyper-vigilant all the time, but keep an up to date resume and contact your references and network at least once a year (I like to do it by sending holiday cards).

#47. Don't box yourself in to only one type of search. Look online in big job search sites like Monster, in specialty sites like HERC (it's for higher education hiring) or Dice (for IT workers) and in the websites of companies where you think you might like to work. And, don't just look online. If you have to go in person or make calls, do so. There are a lot of ways to look and you might be missing out on some opportunities if you pigeonhole yourself too much.

#48. Don't be afraid to ask friends for help.