Searching for a job is a job.
And if you’re serious about finding a new position, you have to treat it like one. It takes organization, commitment – and a lot of motivation, especially since it comes with some pretty emotional highs and lows. Throughout the process, you need to keep your mood positive and your spirits up in order to maximize your chances of getting hired.
Be Realistic
Your new professional “fit” is not going to happen overnight and inevitably, there will be some setbacks along the way. Go into your job search with your eyes – and your mind – open.
- The time frame for landing a job is about one month for every $15,000 in annual salary. So, for a $90,000 a year position, your search could likely take six months or more. Keep it in perspective.
- Learn to handle rejection and then move on. Like a salesperson, realize that it’s a numbers game, where every “no” gets you a step closer to the “yes” you need. The sales “rule of 20” can be also applies to job hunting: For every 20 contacts made, a salesperson gets 15 “no’s: and five “maybe’s” that lead to one sale. So, you’d need 20 first-round interviews to get the five callbacks that result in one offer.
Take a Project Management Approach
Break your job search down into a series of goals spread over time.
- Keep a calendar and make to-do lists. Check off each item as you complete it. For instance, give yourself one week to draft an updated resume and cover letter. Set goals such as face-to-face networking with 15 people during one month and securing three interviews in three months.
- Keep records. Track the positions you’ve applied for, along with support documentation such as pdf files of job postings, contact information, and dates when you mailed resumes, made phone calls or interviewed.
- Evaluate your progress. Take time out once a week to assess how your search is going and what strategies or tactics you may want to change going forward.
Believe in – and Take Care of – Yourself
The product you’re selling is yourself. Like any effective salesperson, you have to be convinced that your product is top quality and that by convincing an employer to “buy” it, you’re saving them from purchasing something substandard. Imagine acting like this at interviews – and you will.
- Stay healthy. Eat well and get your rest. Exercise – it produces endorphins and stimulates brain activity. If physical or emotional challenges become overwhelming, talk to your doctor.
- Take breaks. You can’t job search 24/7. Allow yourself weekends off, and perhaps two more weekdays a month to recharge your batteries.
- Socialize with employed friends and positive people. The former will remind you that jobs do exist – and they’re the folks most likely to have the inside track on available or upcoming openings. The latter will make you feel good about yourself.
- Learn something new. It can be work related – or just fun. This stretches your brain, adds to your skill set, and brightens your outlook.
A skilled recruiter or career coach can be one of your strongest job search assets. For more information, read our related posts or contact the team at PrideStaff Fresno today.