Looking for a job is a terrible job! It’s difficult, time-consuming, boring, and demoralizing, and the pay stinks. Unfortunately, it’s still something most of us need to go through at least a few times in our lives, so here are some tips for managing it.
- Give yourself a schedule. Whether you have a job and you’re looking for a better one or are between jobs, a schedule keep you focused and help prevent burnout. Decide what time of day you have the most energy, and then schedule job-search activities for that time. If you have a job, intersperse the searching with your paid work—it will benefit you to leave the current job on good terms, to the extent that’s possible.
- Don’t chase arbitrary goals. At first, it can feel good to apply for 5 jobs a day, but that wears thin pretty quickly. A better strategy is to check your favored job boards once a week or so, and apply for things you are really interested in. Some weeks, there will be several things you want to apply for, and some weeks there will be nothing. Don’t worry too much about that, but focus on the things you want.
- Customize your application. This is another reason not to try to apply for 5 jobs each week. If you don’t take the time to tailor your documents, they are much less likely to stand out, and they may even not get past the dreaded applicant tracking system. When you take the time to speak to the particular job posting, you can win over those decision-makers even before the interview. So take the time to identify the key words and phrases in the job posting, and make sure those are making an appearance on your resume and cover letter.
- Yes, write a cover letter. I know that some people are of the opinion that nobody reads them, but there are absolutely people who read them, and sone of those people will actually look for the letter before anything else. And since we don’t have a way to know who the people are who will be looking over your application, cover your bases and write a (customized!) cover letter.
- Take breaks as you need. The process is exhausting, and you will need breaks.
- Schedule your day. This is especially important if you don’t currently have a job because otherwise things will start to bleed together, and before you know it, you’ve just spent 4 hours watching videos of cats pushing things off shelves. And don’t get me wrong, those have a place in the world! But that place is not most of your day. So give yourself a schedule, and make it specific. A 2-hour block for “resume” is probably not going to help you move forward, but 15 minutes of “list contacts from when I was at Sony” will help you focus on your goals.
- Network like mad. Reach out to old contacts, make new ones, and plan to have conversations. Let people know what you’re seeking (be specific), and ask help as you need to. But…
- Don’t ask your contacts for jobs. If you reach out to people in your network and just straight-up ask for a job at the company, that puts your contact in an awkward position. So don’t do that. Instead, let people know what you want and ask if they have any tips for moving forward, or if they know anyone who would be helpful for you to talk with. Make it clear that you’re seeking info, not a secret backdoor to the job.
- Consider seasonal, contract, and gig jobs. Two of these can turn into longer jobs, and the other lets you pick up money as you need it. I once had a “seasonal” job that lasted 9 years. A client I worked with last month turned a contract position into a full-time job by doing excellent work and telling her employer she wanted to work for them. Gig jobs are not something I recommend for most people as a long-term solution, but they can be great options to make sure you have money coming in the door. Having even a part-time job will also help protect you against the natural tendency to accept the first offer that comes your way even if there are red flags.
- And finally, consider asking for help. Find resources like workforce centers, meetup groups, and career professionals like me. YouTube is fine, but it can be really beneficial to have live human beings who can inspire you, answer your questions, and help you make other human connections.