There’s a number of initial tasks to do as you begin your search. Payne offers this list: 

• Update your resume.
• Post your resume on Indeed and other job sites.
• Post on your LinkedIn profile that you are “available” for positions. 
• Set up job alerts.
• Attend career fairs.

When updating your resume, Payne recommends highlighting any experience and projects, even if they are small. “You may have gained skills and those can be good talking points for interviews,” she says. These could include any software work shared on GitHub or any mechanical engineering drawings, she says.

If your GPA is a 3.0 and above, put that on your resume, she says. Include your job objective and also any hobbies. Hiring managers “are looking for passion and aptitude, which could be something like rebuilding cars,” she says. “There are a lot of reasons someone goes into a field, such as something they did growing up.” Share those experiences, she says.