Looking For A Job Is A Full-time Job: 4 Tips To Optimize Your Job Search

Written by: Nadav Avni, Chief Marketing Officer at Radix

Whether you are fresh out of school, looking to change careers, or you got laid off due to an unfortunate incident, looking for a job is something we all have to do at some point in our adult lives. While the possibilities of finding an exciting new role could be promising, the process of looking for a new job can be quite tedious and time-consuming. Much like a traditional paid job, sending emails, networking, cold calling, and sifting through hundreds of job ads take time, consistency, and focus. This is why job hunting is popularly referred to as a full-time job. We will mention Tips To Optimize Your Job Search here.

Looking For A Job Is A Full-time Job: 4 Tips To Optimize Your Job Search

If your job hunt drags on for longer than your optimism can handle, it could begin to affect your mental health and your attitude towards the job search itself. So let’s talk about how to keep up with actively looking for a job while caring for your mental health and how to make the most of the precious time you now have on your hands.

4 Tips To Optimize Your Job Search

  • Maintain a Healthy Routine

Okay, we have established that looking for new job opportunities is a job in itself, so you have to approach it as such. Being out of a job, you may find yourself slacking into laziness because you suddenly don’t have to answer to a boss or Phil from HR. I’ll tell you now: resist that temptation. It’s a slippery slope that would only dump you in a pit of lethargy and unproductiveness

To maintain a productive mentality, keep up with your regular morning routine (if you have one). It was beneficial for me to wake early as I normally would, down my trusted cup of coffee, and dress in clean work clothes. Maintaining my routine put me in the work zone and helped me tackle the job hunt with a refreshed mindset on achieving goals, which brings us to the next point.

  • Set Goals

As you settle into your new ‘job,’ you need to set daily or weekly goals for yourself. Of course, the main objective is to find a job, but it helps break the process down into small, achievable tasks. You could set a target for the number of ads you apply to daily or weekly, or the number of prospective companies you research, or the number of people that you contact in your network. Job hunting is a numbers game at its core, and meeting the goals you set for yourself will give you a sense of accomplishment that will fuel your drive for the hunt.

  • Track Your Progress

It’s a job, remember? At jobs, you get objectives, and with those comes KPIs. Your key performance indicators could be how many job positions you’ve applied to and the details of all of them. A spreadsheet would help with this; the last thing you want is a callback from a company you don’t even remember applying to. You could also record the number of callbacks that you get and the progress you’re making with each one. This would help to lift your spirits and keep you optimistic and trust me, that helps.

  • Revamp Your Online Presence

Now’s a good time to brush up your LinkedIn profile with updates that describe your skills and experience more accurately. That could also be a great site for cold pitches and networking with contact persons at prospective companies. Social media could also be very useful in getting the word out about your job search. It’s a numbers game, don’t forget.

Looking For A Job Is A Full-time Job: 4 Tips To Optimize Your Job Search

Unemployment Is NOT Failure

Like I mentioned earlier, losing a job can rob you of a sense of pride and purpose. No matter how long it takes to land a job that fits your skills and experience, you need to understand that being unemployed does not mean you’re a failure. In fact, this time can have many benefits for your personal and career growth.

Students or Young Professionals

For students and young professionals with minimal years of experience, being in between jobs could have a lot of upsides.

Pros
  • You have a wide pool of options available to gain experience in the form of internships and volunteer work.
  • You can use this time to network and expand your circle actively. You can join a cause that you believe in and prove yourself a valuable individual. Meet with and talk to as many people as you can.

In Barack Obama’s new book, The Promised Land, the former US president reminisces on the community service jobs he did for little pay while he was finding himself. The experience and relationships he formed in those early days were immensely fundamental to his 2008 Elections victory. You may not be gunning for the office of the President, but hey, you get the point.

Cons
  • Lack of experience sets you back and affects the quality of jobs that you have access to.
  • Entry-level jobs tend to have low pay.

Seasoned Professionals

For seasoned professionals, job-hunting periods can be more specific because of many reasons.

Pros
  • You have a background of specific experience, achievements, and a professional work ethic. That makes you an asset to prospective companies in your niche.
  • Professionals earn more.
  • You have a database of contacts to enhance your networking.
Cons
  • Finding a well-paying job could take some time.
  • It could be difficult to decide what is best for your career growth at the expense of a paycheck that could keep you afloat.
  • You have to be strategic and thorough with your choices; a wrong decision could hinder your career trajectory.

During this downtime, you can sharpen your mind and your creativity by learning a new skill. Try something that you normally wouldn’t. You’re the boss here, so use this time wisely. Play, and spend time doing the things you love with people that you care about. Shortly after my daughter was born, I was in between jobs for 3 months, parallel to an extensive job hunt. I enjoyed every minute at home watching her grow while on unplanned paternity leave. This time served as a fresh reminder of why I was working so hard. I want to give my family a beautiful life, in addition to doing work that is fulfilling for me. The stress of working day in and day out can make you forget what it’s all for in the first place, so use this time off to recharge and remember why you started.

Good luck! Hope the Tips To Optimize Your Job Search here helps.

Also read Turning a 12-year Career as a Law Firm Marketing Director into a Successful Services Marketing Business

Looking For A Job Is A Full-time Job: 4 Tips To Optimize Your Job Search

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