When a hunt starts your best bet is turning everything off right away, electronics are like ghost magnets and will get you caught quick. Make sure to stash any equipment somewhere you can find it later, and definitely keep those crucifixes within 3 meters of where the ghost hangs out, doubles to 5 if you're dealing with a banshee.

Keeping your sanity up is huge since most ghosts won't start hunting until the team drops below 50%. Taking sanity pills and staying in lit areas helps a ton, and having smudge sticks ready can buy you about 6 seconds when things get dicey. Really worth taking some time early on to spot good hiding spots, closets and lockers work great but furniture can do in a pinch.

Push-to-talk is your friend during hunts, since the ghost picks up on voice chat. Once everything calms down you can grab your dropped gear, just make sure the coast is clear first. A bit of prep work goes a long way in keeping both you and your equipment in one piece and trust me dealing with an angry ghost is way easier when you've got all this sorted beforehand.