Energizing Your Job Search

Author: Liz Frome

During the first few days of your job search, you were probably excited and easily able to devote energy to your job search. You imagined all the possibilities of a new position and one that fit all your needs and desires! Now, a few weeks—or months—into your job search, it is a struggle to stay motivated.

Anyone who has searched for a job knows that it is a full-time job in and of itself, and it is often without reward. But please do not give up. Below are some helpful tips that may help you keep good energy flowing during your job search.

Take a break.

Sometimes when you work extremely hard towards a goal without taking a break, you can lose your focus. So be sure to take a break while you're job searching. At least every half hour or so get up, stretch, and walk away from your computer. Turn on some motivational music for a few minutes. Believe it or not, those quick little breaks can help you to refuel. And if there are days in which you don’t want to search at all, don’t. If you’re not in the right mindset to find a job, you won’t find one, no matter how much you look.

Learn to rebound from rejection.

You had your heart set on a certain job. You had all of the qualifications and you even went in for several job interviews. But you didn’t get it. By far, rejection is the worst part of the job search process, whether it’s getting a rejection email or simply sending in one job application after another and never hearing back from employers. For better or for worse, this is all part of the job search process. But learning to rebound from rejection and keep moving forward even if you don’t hear from employers is an important part of the job search process. Keep in mind, if you can face your fear of rejection and overcome it, nothing will stop you.

Have a plan.

Just like when you have a job, you need to start each day with purpose—and a plan. It’s up to you to determine what your goals for the day are; it might be something as simple as applying to five new positions, crafting a cool cover letter, or simply updating your social media channels as part of your job search. Being able to check items off your to-do list will make you feel like you’re accomplishing something, which you are! The KEY is to have a plan and understand what you will tackle on that plan. You may have to revise the plan from time to time but you have a written plan.

Prepare for the new job.

Even if it seems that your perfect job is light years away, it really is just around the corner. It makes sense that you should start preparing for it ASAP. For example, you can set up your home office, and make sure that all your computer equipment is optimized if you're looking for a telecommuting position. That way, you will be prepared (and not have to start scrambling) when you do indeed get hired for a remote job. Look over your wardrobe, make sure you have your outfits together and ready for the interview or your new job. You do not need to spend a lot of money, but you may need to get something repaired or laundered.

Determine what you want to do.

You’ve been searching for a job for months and…nothing. While you might chalk it up to a lack of jobs in your industry, it could mean a lot more. If you’ve been job hunting for longer than six months, you need to ask yourself if you really want to find that specific job you’re looking for. A long search might be a sign that it’s time to switch gears. Maybe you want to land a more managerial position, or even do a 180 with a career change.

Ask yourself what you really, truly want to do, and then take the steps to make it happen. It might mean going back to school, finding a mentor to help guide you, or changing career fields completely. Once you’re honest with yourself about what you’d really like to do, your work-from-home job will be right there waiting for you.

Recruiters like The Job Shop are a free resource to you in your job search. The may not land you your next position but they could be a stepping stone to help you with your resume, interview questions, follow up or any insight on who may be hearing and the experience you may need for certain positions.

The Job Shop has been in business for over 23 years and we work with over 500 clients in a variety of fields all over the Bay Area. We are a wonderful resource for your job search and all you must do is reach out!

While job searching can start off exciting, it can quickly become boring and possibly depressing if it goes on for too long. One of the keys is to bring new energy to your job search with these job search strategies for success, and you’ll soon be sorting through job offers!

The more positive energy you have around you the better you will feel about yourself. Review your plan each day and get up each day with a smile and seize the day! Remember your glass is ½ full.

Stay tuned for more tips from The Job Shop.