This is a guest post from Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval, authors of THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference. The POWER OF SMALL releases April 21, 2009 and is available online and in bookstores nationwide.

If you happen to be one of the millions of college seniors graduating next month, then you’ve probably spent the past semester fretting over your less than optimistic job prospects. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t hope.  With a little resourcefulness, a lot of effort, and an eye toward the details, you can harness the power of small to give you a leg-up in your search.

As the President and CEO of a billion dollar ad agency, we know first-hand the importance of “sweating the small stuff.” Although you’ve probably always been told to look at the big picture, we’ve discovered that the real secret to success is to refocus your attention on the little details.  Don’t believe us?  Well, we used this very approach to transform the Kaplan Thaler Group from a tiny start-up with one client, to one of America’s fastest growing agencies in less than a decade.

So how can you get SMALL to get going on the job hunt?  Try out these SMALL tips:

Instead of Facebook, try face-to-face. Sure, social media applications like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter can help you in your job search, but nothing beats a face-to-face meeting.  Online social networking is one thing, but it’s the in person stuff that gets people hired.  Spread the word to any past internship supervisors, and enlist the help of your parents.

Customize your resume. When the job market was less competitive, a one-size-fits-all resume might have done the job, but times have changed.  To really stand out from the crowd, carefully read each job listing and then cater your resume, not just your cover letter, to meet the job requirements.

Read, read, and proofread! In our new book, THE POWER OF SMALL, we tell people to “give yourself one more minute” before sending an email.  This allows you to check for any overlooked errors.  Before sending an application, read your resume and cover letter just one more time to make sure it’s error free.  Otherwise your resume just might end up the next office wide joke.

Pay attention. Whether you are networking or you’ve landed an actual interview, paying attention to the details is key.  Take careful note of body language, facial expressions, and casual conversation and use them to your advantage.  While you’re at it, pay attention to what you’re doing and what it says about you.  Are you fidgeting?  Were you nice to the receptionist?  Did you bring a latte with you to the interview, but neglect to bring one for everyone else?  These small actions say as much about you as the words you have so carefully rehearsed.

Say thanks. After your interview, remember to thank everyone who met with you for their time.  If you had four interviews at one company, that means you need to write four individual thank you notes.  Remember, when it comes to thank you notes, e-mail is out: hand written is the way to go.  Make sure to personalize each note and send it within one day of the interview.  If you don’t think hiring managers will be impressed, just think of the story of our friend Brian.  When unsure whether or not his notes would arrive on time, he sent them overnight with FedEx.  Although the boss was on the fence after Brian’s interview, this small act did the trick.  Brian got an offer the very next day.

How are you putting power of small to work for you in your job hunt?  Share your comments, or email Linda and Robin your stories at thepowerofsmallblog@gmail.com.  You can learn more about the Power of Small: Why Little Things Make All the Difference and read their blog on their website, or follow them on Twitter @ThePowerOfSmall.