The Job Search Checklist: 7 Must-Haves That Have Nothing to Do With Your Resume

One of two things has happened: either you are at your job dreaming of another one or out of a job and wanting another one. You are ready to start making moves toward the next part of your career, so you do what anyone would do (update your resume). You spend the time to ensure that your resume showcases measurable results you have achieved, highlights your current accolades, and can pass through ATS systems. You think you’re good to get started, right?

Not so fast! While a resume is the most critical portion of the puzzle, it isn’t the only one. The resume (and potentially cover letter) is just the first step in your job search preparation. But after that? Well, there are many other important aspects of the hiring process that you have to account for.

Below is a job search checklist with key things you will need during your job hunt process.

References: The Unsung Heroes

Story time: I was interviewing for a new job in 2025 and was pretty far into the process when, right before the final round interview, I received an email asking for five references to be completed prior to the final interview to move forward.

Five. Five?! And three of the references needed to be former managers.

I was scrambling! This had not been mentioned at all in the previous discussions with the recruiter or hiring managers. I had some people who had agreed to be my references, but not enough, as most positions only needed three references at most. I had to reach out to some very old contacts (talk about awkward) and ask that they immediately fill out references for me.

While asking for references is generally uncommon, if a company does ask for them, they tend to take them fairly seriously. Some companies will ask for references right at the application, while others will wait until you are further along in your candidacy before asking. In either scenario, you want to make sure you have them ready in a market that has a quick turnaround time when it comes to hiring decisions for competitive jobs.

To Do: Curate a list of 3-5 people to use as references (try to make at least one a former manager). Notify those you want to use as a reference to ensure they are on board. Also, agree to give them a heads up if you add them as a reference for any job. This allows them to prepare for an unexpected phone call or email that they might think is spam and also lets them research the position you are applying for, hopefully enabling them to give great feedback relative to the role!

Office Professional Outfit: Dress to Impress

This one would have been a given back in the day for anyone looking for work, but with working from home so prevalent and Gen Z’s confusion around appropriate attire, I want to dive into it deeper.

Even if you are only having interviews virtually, you still need a professional outfit. Outfits should be business professional, NOT business casual in most cases (and I would argue it is better to be overdressed than underdressed for an interview). Even if you are only interviewing virtually, it is important that the outfit the company interviewer can see is professional and in good condition.

Women:

•         1 professional blazer (sharp shoulders, crisp fabrics, tailored waist)

•         1 professional top (collared, opaque, button-up)

•         1 professional pair of pants or skirt (matching blazer, fitted without being tight; skirt should be at knees or below and worn with tights)

•         1 professional pair of shoes (short heels or flats)

•         Colors should be neutral.

Men:

•         1 solid neutral color suit

•         1 long-sleeve button-down shirt

•         1 conservative colored tie

•         1 pair of leather dress shoes with matching socks

To Do: Purchase, thrift, or borrow a full office professional outfit if you do not own one. There are programs that exist (such as Dress for Success) that help you get an outfit for interviewing for jobs for free. Check your local community to see if there are any programs in your area if you are on a tight budget.

Another great option is to borrow from a friend. If you have a friend of a similar height and weight who is not currently job hunting, they may have a business professional outfit tucked away in a closet unused. See if you can borrow it for your time on the job search.

Clothes make the man. Or maybe the interviewee in this case?

LinkedIn: Your Digital Business Card

Every once in a while, if you are a frequenter of job search blogs or discussion posts, you will see someone say that they got a job without updating or having a LinkedIn, so it isn’t necessary.

This is the exception that breaks the rule. If you are applying to a white-collar position, then you need a LinkedIn. If you don’t have one, this can raise questions for the recruiter about why you haven’t made one and also hurt your visibility if they are looking at other candidates. Even if you never touch it again after getting a job, you need to have one now.

You don’t have to overthink it. Having the same information as your resume is enough as long as the page exists and is able to be found by recruiters. LinkedIn can also be a great way to network and find open positions, so it’s worth it to have for the job search aid it provides.

To Do: Create a LinkedIn profile that includes a professional-looking headshot, current and past job descriptions that match your resume, and any other ancillary information (certifications, references, skills, etc.).

If you are starting a LinkedIn from scratch, start adding people in your network to build up possible references and insight into job opportunities. If you have an established page, make sure it is updated and let those in your network know that you are looking for a new career.

Professional Email Address and Social Media Audit: First Impressions Matter

Hopefully, this one is already good to go, but just in case, I wanted to include it.

For the email, it’s okay to still use your Hotmail email (unless you are trying to hide your age in the interview process, in which case make a Gmail). What isn’t okay is to have an email address akin to something like downtoparty@gmail.com. Your email address should just be your first and last name, with potentially some other characters if you have a common name and yours is already taken. If you have a picture attached to your email, make sure it’s the same professional one you used for setting up your LinkedIn.

Another aspect of your digital presence to review is your social media. Social media can be great for showing you having a good time to your family and friends. But if you have tons of party pictures or appear to be consistently on vacation, this could be a red flag for recruiters. Do a check if your social media is open to the public to make sure everything is appropriate, and if not, set all your socials to private.

(I would tell you to just go through and delete those photos, but 1. who has the time for that? and 2. maybe you want a reminder of that fun family camping trip in a couple of years from now.)

To Do: Check if your social media is open to the public to ensure everything is appropriate. If not, set all your socials to private. Create a new email account if your email name is unprofessional, and make sure your photo is appropriate or shows nothing at all.

Clean Drug Test/Background Check: Be Prepared

There could be nothing worse than sending out all of those applications, talking to multiple recruiters, and preparing for interviews only to get to the end and have the future opportunity taken away. And that is what can happen if the hiring company asks for a drug test or background check that you are not going to pass. While drug testing may not be as common due to changes in individual states’ marijuana laws in certain industries, you can guarantee that most jobs will ask for a background check.

To Do: Check the drug laws in the state you live in and in the state you are applying to (as they may be different). If you are applying to jobs that have strict drug requirements (think healthcare or government jobs), then be sure that your drug test will come back clean.

Most people (at least I hope most people) won’t have anything they have to worry about with a background check. But if there is something on there that could be a potentially red flag to employers, it may be worth chatting with a lawyer about ways to have certain items removed from your permanent record.

Employment and Education Records: Stay Ready

It is insane to me that I was getting asked for my GPA when I am close to 20 years out from being in college, but believe it or not, you may still get asked about it. Hiring companies may also want proof of completed certifications or of your employment history. It’s better to be prepared for anything, so make sure you have any documents that might be relevant to a job application at the ready.

To Do: Have information saved regarding any certifications, education, or licenses you have achieved. These can also be added to your LinkedIn profile for better visibility into your achievements.

W-2s and other employment records might also be needed if the background check can’t verify your employment history, so those can also be good to have on hand.

Job Search Tracking System: Stay Organized

This one is one thing you probably haven’t considered since you are just starting your search. But once you are in the thick of applications, interviews, and follow-up emails, you will realize just how quickly it can become difficult to stay on top of your job search with so much outgoing and incoming communication and documents.

Establish a system for tracking your applications, documents, and outreach so that you never forget where in the process a job application is (or if you already applied to the job, which you would not expect to forget, but alas, you can).

To Do: Create some kind of tracking system that allows you to track applications sent, rejected, and interview requests. Organize your folders and files on your computer in a way that allows you to easily distinguish different resumes and cover letters you are using for certain applications.

Sack Hacks has job application tracker available for download here. (Login is required but don’t worry, you will never receive spam from us.)

If you want to make your own, this can be done with something like Microsoft Excel or Apple Numbers, or by using an AI assistant to handle organizing where you are at in your job search and what to prioritize next.

Putting the Pieces Together: You’ve Got This!

I know that was a lot. Especially after you have spent hours fine-tuning a resume, having this list of actions piled on top can feel daunting. But the good news is that all of these items need to be done just one time and then will be good to go for the rest of your job search.

Make an action plan to tackle one of these items a day if you are just getting started and feeling overwhelmed with the work you need to do for this job search. Manageable goals help you stay focused and on track during a stressful job hunt process. Good luck!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Corporate Kate has spent nearly 15 years inside corporate tech, managing large teams and making the hiring decisions most job seekers never get to see. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance and writes about layoffs, careers, and money.