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You're searching for a new job and just don't know how to balance it all. Especially if you are holding down a job currently it can be a balancing act of epic proportions. So how do you do it well, land that job, and save your sanity in the process?
Recently I sat in on a free teleseminar from Wired4Hire (brought to you by MGD Services, Inc.) where expert Gretchen Gunn walked eager job seekers through a do-able strategy. According to Gretchen a job search consists of 4 essential activities:
- Find leads
- Work to get opportunities to interview
- Go on interviews
- Negotiate and accept a job offer
In order to successfully navigate to the last step (that coveted job offer for an ideal job) there are a lot of steps in between. So in this climate of cattle call like responses to job postings and little to no courtesy when it comes to rejections, how can you keep on truckin' without wanting to lose your mind? It comes down to consistent and effective management of your time and emotions.
Like any big task, a job search has to be broken down into manageable, daily tasks that you will actually do. Especially if you are working full-time while you are searching for that next gig, you need ongoing, sustainable action versus huge bursts followed by days or week of inactivity.
Consider creating daily goals. Something like a "5X5" meaning, "I will connect with 5 people each day by 5pm". If you do that, it means you'll connect with 25 new people a week and approximately 100 new people a month. That is a lot of new connections.
In your job hunt you need to manage your time, energy, and emotions.
Time: Set aside certain "working hours" for your job search and stick to them religiously. Vary the time spent between online activities, telephone outreach, and in-person networking. Remember that most jobs are found via personal networking of some kind.
Energy: Like anything else you need to take good care of YOU to function effectively. Take breaks, sleep, eat, and exercise well. This isn't rocket science, but a job search is a distance run. Pace yourself.
Emotions: Rejection (and many of them) are the name of the game. You will likely not only get rejected multiple times over the course of your search but often you won't even receive the courtesy of a form letter. Do not take this personally. Of course it feels personal and you need to honor those feelings. But, get over them quickly as you never know the real reason you didn't get hired (maybe they had a sudden hiring freeze or the boss' neighbor's son just entered the mix of candidates). If you start experiencing a trend, get some expert advice to tweak your approach and move forward with a positive attitude.
Remember - you are in charge of your job search, so set yourself up for success. A marathon isn't run 26.2 miles at a time, at least not mentally... it is run one mile at a time (repeated 26 times!).
Credit Image: Donniebrasco069 via Flickr
Paula Gregorowicz, owner of The Paula G. Company, helps you discover and successfully create the work you are meant to do in the world. Through the power of Intuitive Intelligence(tm) you will learn to make wiser decisions with ease as you break free from the tyranny of your own mind that holds you back from your greatest success and best lives. Download the free report - Your Own Uniqueness: The Path to Purpose, Prosperity, and Playfulness at http://www.intuitiveintelligencecoaching.com.
