3 Steps to a Successful Job Search

Was a change in your career part of your 2020 plans? Maybe you dove right in, scouring the job boards the first two weeks of January, but now the excitement and drive have faded away because you didn’t see the results?

A job search isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. It takes dedication, careful planning, and is best with consistent effort. Slow and steady…and a cheering section helps! Here are three steps to a successful job search that won’t drain your soul.

Figure Out What You Want

First and foremost, you can’t conduct an efficient search if you don’t know what you’re searching for. It’s not enough to know that you’re unhappy in your current position, you need to know why and what will be fulfilling for you. Do some soul searching, take a personality test or two (like Myers-Briggs or Enneagram, not which Hogwarts House you belong to) for some clarity and inspiration, or just sit down with pen and paper and list out everything you dislike about your current role, what you love, and how you could love what you don’t.

There’s more to it than just the role, though. What kind of a commute are you willing to make every day? Don’t just consider distance – think about traffic and road quality, too. How much travel are you up for? Do you have a family that you want to see every night or are you okay living out of a suitcase? These things can make or break the fit as well.

Plan Your Search

As a parent of young children, I am quite familiar with trying to get things done during spare minutes, and some things can limp by just like that. Your job search is not one of them. You need to schedule and commit time to all the different areas of your search (not just the easy ones!) and stick to it.

Be sure you aren’t setting yourself up for disappointment though! Examine your schedule and make realistic commitments to yourself. If Wednesdays are beyond hectic, don’t expect yourself to accomplish anything that day. You don’t want to constantly feel as though you are failing because you set unrealistic expectations.

Set aside 30-60min at a time for resume/cover letter tweaks, research, applying, and networking, and stay focused! This can be the same week-to-week (Mondays are for networking, Tuesdays are for applying, etc) or can change based on your availability and what is going on in your search. Have a plan for each block of time so you can be productive for the full time allotted.

Recruit Cheerleaders

Career changes can be exhausting and land some serious blows to your self-esteem when you don’t get a callback or an offer. Let your biggest cheerleaders in life know what’s going on (this can help jumpstart your networking, too!) so they can encourage you along the way.

This team will also be a great resource for mock interviews, proofreading, insight, and plenty of other little things along the way. Just remember to show them your appreciation throughout the process. Surprise coffees and baked goods can go a long way toward showing your thanks!

Job searches can be stressful and wearing, so make sure you are doing everything you can to maintain your stamina and increase your efficacy. If you have the ability, a career coach can be an excellent investment to help you determine the best next step, lay out a plan, and master the skills necessary to get to your dream career.