Looking for a job can be overwhelming to say the least. Contending with posting resumes, looking through endless job listings and waiting for a response can add some stress to your job search. Enclosed are some useful tips to make the experience a little more manageable.
1. Develop a Routine
Develop a routine and stick to it. By allocating specific chunks of time towards Linked In searches, emailing acquaintances, networking, spending time on job search sites, and other related activities, you can plan and execute better. More importantly, you will feel that you are accomplishing something each day and not just waiting for recruiters or human resources to call you back.
2. Stay Up-To-Date on the Industry
Nothing is more of a turn-off than interviewing someone who is out of touch with what is happening in the industry. Do your research. Know the industry and the latest trends. Who knows, you may even impress an interviewer with something they didn’t even know!
3. Follow Industry Leaders on Twitter
Twitter is a fantastic platform to share content and connect with people professionally. Think about the industry you want to work in and start following leaders in that industry. The key, however, is engagement. If you see a post that you find interesting, tweet back at the person or comment with a part of the article you enjoyed. Getting in front of industry leaders now could prove beneficial. They may be one of the people looking at your job application in the future. Being remembered as an insightful, engaging person can only help your chances of landing the job.
4. Get Social
If you live in a major metropolitan area, join a few professional groups. You could go to seminars or information sessions on particular subjects pertaining to your field. It is a very good way to network with people who are in the field as well. Use Linked In as a resource or even meetup.com. For example, in Denver, there was a meetup group of unemployed people who pooled their resources to help each other find a job.Not only could it be valuable, but you could gain a great support system.
5. Develop Your Personal Brand
Spend time in between jobs to really do some soul-searching. What are you passionate about? What are your skill sets? And how can you marry those to find a job that you wake up excited to go to everyday?
Once you know what gets you fired up, embed that into creating a personal brand. A personal brand is about defining who you are as person and employee. Create a personal brand that is uniquely distinguishable & ideally memorable and communicate that brand through every outlet (appearance, online presence, graphic design of your portfolio, etc.). Remember, everything you do makes a statement.
6. Mind Your Health
Job-searching can be mentally exhausting, so keeping yourself healthy is essential. Maintain a healthy diet and exercise. Physical activity is a great way to relieve stress and tension. Meditation, journaling and prayer is also a great outlet. With lots of thinking time, the mind can be the devils playground, so be sure to keep it in check.
7. Give Your Time
If unemployed, consider using some of your time to volunteer. It can be very fulfilling to use your skills and gifts to help those in need. Plus, it can be a beneficial networking opportunity. You never know who you could meet. He/she may be just the right person to put you on the correct path to securing your dream job.
8. It Doesn’t Have to All Be Done Today
Job-searching can be a daunting task. And if you look at it as such, you will become overwhelmed. Yes, you could spend 5 hours searching for job postings on Monster, but you will be mentally drained after the fact. Take a break from the screen every once in a while. If you’re having an off day and just can’t seem to find a posting that you are qualified for, call it a day. Spending hours in front of the computer screen without any progress can really sink your spirits. I promise, plenty of jobs will still be out there tomorrow.
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