Once an interview is over, it's over. Send or e-mail a follow-up letter, provided you are still interested. The letter is important because it tells the company that you're still available and interested in the job. Also, it identifies you as a professional who follows the rules of the business.

Even if you're not hired, somewhere down the line the company may think of you when they're hiring for a new position. In any event, after the letter is sent, continue to chug along in your job-seeking process.

Your job search may take three or four months, and you should be prepared for it. Keeping your spirits up is more than half the battle. While friends and family can certainly lend support during these trying times, a good solution to pump you up and keep you on track is a buddy system.

Your “buddy” should be someone, possibly in your own field, who can listen to your woes — someone to celebrate with when you sail through a job interview and someone to commiserate with you over a failed interview. The important thing is that he's someone who can help you to regroup and keep up your spirits until you get the job offer you want.

Try to schedule your first interview with a company that you don't have all that much interest in. Interviewing with your dream company for an ideal job the first time out may not be a wise idea. If you don't know what to expect from an interviewer, you could blow your chances of employment.

Try to get one or two interviews under your belt before you decide to meet with the hiring manager of the company of your dreams. If that's not possible, make sure you practice until you've got it nearly perfect. You've only got one shot at making a good impression.