Summer’s just about over and– for those of you who’ve delayed your entry into the real world for one last summer of being a lifeguard/camp counselor/kite-boarding instructor  and the like– this means it’s time to trade in your board shorts for the boardroom.

With this in mind, I’ve put together three ways to help you land your dream job:

Unpack then re-pack: Committed summer fun-types generally keep an extra bathing suit, sweatshirt, and pair of flip flops in their car (Not to mention extra board wax) Having emptied your car and/or closet of these, replace them with have an interview-ready kit consisting of a clean and pressed shirt, suit, tie, and polished shoes/briefcase; plus up-to-date business cards, resumes and/or a portfolio and two pens (Remember: two is one and one is none….) This means you can spend the time before your interview doing background research on the company, not running to the drycleaner or copy shop.

Scrub Your Facebook/Twitter/My Space/etc Accounts:  Who doesn’t want 300+ photos of themselves catching a wave, catching some rays, catching hold of their dream date? Nobody. That said, these shouldn’t be shared with everybody. More and more companies are checking candidates’ social media pages before the interview and/or asking candidates to open their social media pages mid-interview. (Yes, that is legal.) Given this, any photo/comment/video that doesn’t say, “I can be trusted with $100,000” needs to be deleted. Now.

Remember: rubber time is over: Summer time is quite flexible, but the business world doesn’t run on rubber time. Given that, when you get the email saying, “Can we speak at 3,” that doesn’t mean 3:01. When you get the call saying, “Can you come in for an interview today at 4?” Your answer needs to be “Yes, of course.” Not, “Yeah, I think so.” Having agreed, hang up the phone, do your research, suit up, and be there at 3:55.

For more on how to interview effectively and professionally, check out my app “Interview Wow.”

Happy hunting!

Frances