You’ve made all the right moves. You’ve completed your training and are now ready to apply what you have learned as you step into the working world.

By following these five tips, you can potentially increase your chances of obtaining an interview, a job, and hopefully a career.

Make certain that you include your newly attained credential on your resume and all the good work you’ve done in the past, including job experience, awards and positive recognition of all types. Remember, details count. It’s also important to make your resume job specific. Having a resume is good, tailoring it (and your cover letter) to the job you’re applying for is even better. Find what the company is looking for and match your skills to its needs. If they are looking for someone who is A+ certified, prove to them that you have that certification and that you’re ready to work.

2) Use the career services at your school and in your community. Contact state and federal agencies such as the Veterans Administration, Massachusetts Labor and Workforce Development or Connecticut Works to find out about available jobs and opportunities. And take advantage of your school’s career services. At Porter and Chester Institute, we not only care about our students; we care about our graduates. Every Porter and Chester campus has a career center with fulltime Career Services Advisors. We help students and alumni discover job leads, craft effective resumes and prepare for interviews.

3) Network, network, network. In addition to using your school’s existing networking system, it’s now time to create your own. Start with the people in your profession you already know, but consider joining associations, professional groups and unions that may open up even more doors. Reach out to local companies and employers and look for jobs online. If you’re not on social media, now may be the exact time to join the millions already there. Facebook and LinkedIn aren’t just for liking –they’re also a serious way to connect to the world and to your next job!

4) Try a mock Interview. You’ve heard the old adage that practice makes perfect? Well, that goes for the job search as well. The more you practice your interviewing skills, the better you’ll be at them. Mock interviews allow you to play the role of job candidate so you become more comfortable with the process. The Career Services Advisors at Porter and Chester Institute are trained to help students and graduates through the mock interview process.

5) Start temp, then go permanent. Remember, you don’t start at the bottom; you start at the beginning of your career. So finding temporary work may be exactly the right move for you. Now that you have furthered your education, you have more to offer. Don’t be afraid to prove it. Taking a temporary position gives you the opportunity to show off your skills and that temp position may just turn into the permanent job of your dreams. Gaining experience in your field will also make you more marketable when the next opportunity arises. Employers value experience when considering candidates for an interview.

Porter and Chester Institute is preparing the workforce of tomorrow by giving its students solid academic skills coupled with hands-on training. With nine convenient locations, and a wide variety of programs, Porter and Chester Institute may be the answer to your future employment dreams.