These are suggestions that have worked for me and/or worth trying. YMMV.
- Order business cards. I recommend using a template which is designed to include a photo, as it makes it easier for employers to remember you.
- RetailMeNot usually has a good deals:
- OvernightPrints.com (my old company): http://www.retailmenot.com/view/overnightprints.com
- VistaPrint: http://www.retailmenot.com/view/vistaprint.com
- Update your LinkedIn profile. Detail is good as long as it is specific and relevant. Make your profile public and searchable. For example, here's my profile.
- Recommendations:
- Get relevant connections to write you LinkedIn recommendations:
- Faculty advisors
- Teachers
- Co-workers (current and former)
- Clients
- Vendors
- Once you have a few good recommendations, copy and paste them into a word document and print that to a PDF. You should email this document every time you email someone your resume. You should bring this with you to interviews in addition to your resume.
- Post your resume on Monster, Dice, and Indeed. Be ready for a flood of spam, so maybe use a different email address other than your usual email address.
- Link up with contacts on Facebook BranchOut
- Search job boards and apply for postings:
- Paper resume:
- Make two versions:
- See if you can get it on one page without making it look crammed, while giving some relevant details.
- Then make a different version which is two to three pages long with all of the detail from your LinkedIn profile.
- Print both versions on high-quality paper using a laser printer.
- Put your LinkedIn profile URL at the bottom, and when your LinkedIn profile starts accumulating good references, note that with the URL.
- Have several people review it who are experienced resume reviewers.
- Recruiters:
- Contact these people:
- expanxion
- 805-496-3500
- Say 'hi' to Drew Greeley for me -- he got me my current job
- JobSpring Partners OC
- (949)553-4200
- Say 'hi' to David Belsky for me
- JobSpring Partners LA
- (310)996-0200
- Say 'hi' to Rameet Singh and Erin Wilson for me
- Workbridge Partners OC
- (949)833-1300
- Say 'hi' to Cory Eustice and Brett Sterling for me
- Workbridge Partners LA
- (310)445-3300
- Say 'hi' to James Valone for me
- Ask them at the end of each phone call when you can next follow up -- and if they don't have an answer, ask them if you can call them in a week or two. Your goal is to be fresh in their minds without being a nudge. Make sure you follow up.
- Read up more about resume writing, interviewing, etc. on the Internet.
- Go to relevant events:
- Job fairs
- Alumni meetups
- User / developer groups:
- OCPHP, etc.
- Get your name out there
- Start a blog with a relevant IT or CS focus (Tumblr and Blogger are great for this)
- Every time you post on that blog, post a link to Twitter and Facebook
- Join relevant groups on LinkedIn and get involved
- Consider contributing to an open-source project on GitHub or SourceForge
FYI #2: I don't receive anything back from these references -- except (hopefully) gratitude from the recruiters if and when I ever re-enter the job market.
