How to maintain a positive attitude and approach throughout your job search
- Approach your job search like a part-time job. Maintaining some routine and discipline as part of the search is good for self esteem. Start your working day at the same time you always have (or earlier), and be sure to work in a quiet and organised place.
- Commit to working the same hours for 5 days per week
- Only work 3-4 hours per day on your search. When you've finished work, do the things you like, or didn't have time to do when you were working full time.
i. Take your partner out for lunch dates if you can
ii. Meet with friends and contacts for coffee
iii. Do more exercise or take on a project at home
It won't be long before you're back to work and won't have time.
Too many people spend too long job hunting. They get fed-up and even depressed, and lose the drive, focus and belief that's needed. - Set yourself a realistic set of expectations. It's a hard and competitive job-seeking environment, so expect it to be challenging and frustrating, with plenty of ups and downs.
i. You must expect to receive lots of rejections from employers and agencies. Don't take it personally - just keep focused and keep doing the basics well!
ii. You will experience huge differences in service, communication and feedback from agencies and employers. The internet and email haven't done anything to improve the job hunting experience. It can seem very impersonal when the only feedback you get is an automated acknowledgement or a standard rejection message, but the reality of dealing with often hundreds of applications on-line may mean that's all an employer or agency can do - e. Be organised. Set up a simple process and filing system to help you keep on top of your applications. For example:
i. Print out each of your (quality) applications and keep them in some sort of date order
ii. Use the copy to make notes on - eg the recruiter's or contact's name, plus any additional information you gather in your follow up calls
iii. Schedule relevant calls backs in Outlook. You must try and keep on top of your follow-up work - It will make the difference! - Make sure you use the telephone as much as email. Too many people hide behind email. You need to be speaking to people - lots of people!
Back to redundancy advice
