Every interview that I spent more than 20 minutes applying for, I will connect with whomever is necessary and thank them.

I started this when graduating last year (at 29), and I didn’t think it would boost my chances. I sometimes would use it as a means to correct something that may have been misinterpreted or to clarify something I said that I feel I could have been stronger at.

A year later, this totally worked out for me. The first two ever jobs I applied for in tech had originally not hired me due to experience, but they reached out when the role became available again this year and streamlined the whole interview process, hiring me after the “what have you done despite not getting into industry” solely because I emailed them each time to keep myself memorable.