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Job‐hunting has changed. The traditional way of developing a good resume, making lots of copies, and sending them to all conceivable employers just doesn't work anymore. Prospective employees have been finding that the job hunt has become social and more dependent on social media for learning about positions. Employers are more reliant on social media to help make decisions about potential employees.

Relationships and personal connections have become even more important, thus the use of social media in job‐hunting. Sometimes it seems that the successful employee hears about an opening, gets an interview, or even a job in part based on one‐on‐one contacts. The old line of “its who you know” may seem unfair, but it is more common today than ever before. Making those contacts are vital to anyone new to the profession or experienced when seeking a job in interior design. Personal contacts through involvement in professional association chapter activities, attending trade fairs, meeting designers through informational interviews, and other opportunities to meet professional designers cannot be overlooked.

For the student, the job search begins long before graduation. The student must evaluate what part of the profession holds the most interest for her. It is not just a choice between commercial or residential. It also must include an evaluation of skills and interests in the profession. The book Becoming an Interior Designer by this author provides insights and input from interior designers in numerous specialties from all over the country. Sometimes using a book such as Richard Nelson Bolles's What Color Is Your Parachute? is a help in determining career goals more precisely.

TABLE 6‐1. Tips on the job‐search process

1.	Have a strategy and plan. Know what you are looking for and what your “bottom line” might be. By bottom line I mean the level of job (junior designer rather than project designer).
2.	Be realistic. Salary and benefits are not going to be as high as you might expect, regardless of the level of your skills. But you also shouldn't sell your skills at a bargain‐basement price. Be prepared to negotiate salary, benefits, hours of work, and other considerations of employment.
3.	Evaluate your skills carefully. If you are deficient in some skill that is important to the type of job you seek, get training at a community college or an online program.
4.	Be prepared. Make sure your portfolio is always in excellent shape and your resume is ready to go. Don't forget that when you attend a professional meeting, you are also interacting with people who may be looking for an employee. Always dress and act the part of the consummate professional in professional situations.
5.	Be prudent with what you post on social media sites. Employers will look you up on Facebook and all the other sites. A fun‐loving photo on your personal page might be great for friends, but can give the wrong impression to a potential employer.

Professionals also need to reevaluate skills and interests when considering a job change. The material in Chapter 4 concerning making a career change can be of assistance to the professional. They will also gain from reading about goals in Chapter 5.

Table 6‐1 provides some tips on the job‐search process applicable to students as well as professionals. Consider this information as you begin to gather your thoughts about what type of position you seek.