How to Survive (Maybe even Succeed) in the Real World

First and foremost: We're not talking about the Real World where a bunch of 20-somethings live in a posh house with no responsibilities and incentives for being the most dramatic... the ACTUAL REAL WORLD. (Side note- how ironic that's what its called though, right?)

There are a couple things that every person should know, in order to be a successful and functioning adult. Some of these things, we learn very early on from our parents and we don't realize its a life-lesson: like the importance of always washing your hands and wearing socks. Some things come later and almost blindside you with how big a mistake you made: don't post pictures you wouldn't want your boss to see on the internet or else you could get fired, always have change on hand if your washer is coin-operated, you can never have enough TP in your house, rain adds 40 minutes to any commute in a metropolitan area, and renter's insurance is a sad but necessary reality.  Some lessons though, you don't know you don't know until one day you realize you've been doing it all wrong for years. These surprise lessons are things like: Tide sticks are super handy, cooking is actually pretty easy once you make the effort to move past ramen, there are recipes for single serve brownies you can make in the microwave!


So I'd like to take a bit of time to review some "Things to know that will help you in being an Adult- Job Search edition".
* Always, always, always, always send a Thank You note! When in doubt- send it out! 
* Do not underestimate the potential in networking to advance your professional career.
* If you're going to a job interview, err on the more conservative side- if you're a woman, choose the longer skirt and the higher cut blouse; if you're a man, go with the suit jacket and tie.
* If you're sending out your resume/cover letter via email- Triple check the email before you send it!! Don't accidentally attach a photo of your dad from the 5K he ran last winter... that's a bad first impression. So is misspelling anything in the email, sending the same message three times to make sure it went through, and writing in ALL CAPS.
* ARRIVE ON TIME- if not 5 minutes early!
* Try not to hit on anyone... EVER- especially on the first day.

Unfortunately for job seekers, hiring managers don't think you're as special as your immediate family might think you are. In order to have a fighting chance, you've got to go above and beyond for them! Your job in this search is to make it so impossibly easy for the hiring manager to pick you, they won't have any other choice. This means showing them exactly why your experiences align with their needs, replying quickly and efficiently (in the same mode of communication they use), and following through on everything. Bringing a prepared list of your references, extra copies of your resume, your full schedule for the next few weeks, and providing your contact info in an easy format are all really simple things you can do, to make it an easier choice for the company.