Repeat after me "the situation I am now in is not permanent. I will not remain in the unemployment phase indefinitely. I am simply between jobs." That's better and while you are job hunting, here are 10 things you
can do to stay positive and proactive while waiting to get your job offer.
This is a guest post by Blessy Vaidian as she has captured so many of strategies I believe and use on my career search journey. I hope you find them useful as well.
1. Join a Job Search Group
The job
search can be overwhelming. There are others out there feeling the same things
you are. Meeting once a week can keep you from
getting depressed, help you set goals,
and can be a great way to learn new job search
strategies. You can also get personal feedback from the
facilitator on your resume/cover letter, and where to take your job search.
2. Volunteer
You would
be surprised at how many volunteer
positions lead to a job.
And even if they don’t, they lead to contacts that might be able to
refer you to someone with an opportunity. Why not get out of the house at least
2x a week and offer your services in a hospital, school, or library? You can
even volunteer at campaign headquarters for the political candidate of your choice
or for your favorite non-profit agency.
3. Watch someone in your ideal job
I am not saying stalk anyone, but it makes sense to ‘watch’. If you want
to be legal council for a corporation, go to a few public trials. If you want
to be a writer, attend book signings at the local bookstore.
This costs nothing and it can keep you motivated and excited about the
career you chose. And do not plan on leaving the event before at least making
one positive comment to the individual that impressed you.
Conversations can go a long way if you are willing to take the risk.
4. Network in person
Now is not the time to shut yourself off from society, but just the
opposite.
Join a meet-up group related to your field, go to events or conferences
in your profession. Most of the jobs out there are not found in the newspaper
or by blindly sending out resumes; but by networking!
Always try to look your best, and have your resume ready at any social
event you go to from now on. Introduce yourself and start connecting with
people in person.
5. Master social media for networking
It’s amazing how Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn have changed the job
search arena. If you are not on these websites, you need to create a profile.
If you are on these websites already you need be careful of the image you have
created for yourself.
6. Set up a few Informational
Interviews
If your best friend’s father is working for a great company or you
remember someone from a party a while back that impressed you, try to arrange a
meeting. Offer to pick up the tab and take them out for coffee or lunch, and
simply say you want to learn about the company they work for of how they got
started.
If they say no, you have nothing to loose. If they say yes, you never
know what avenues open up.
7. Learn something new
“Careers
in virtually all academic disciplines are fostered by being a superstar who
knows more about one subject than anyone else in the world,” said Philip Zimbardo.
So now that you have all this extra time on your hand to read a few
books related to your field, master that computer class you always wanted, or
get the certification you know you need to make your resume stand out.
Get yourself and your resume more marketable.
8. Re-evaluate who you are and what you
want
E.E. Cummings said, “It takes courage to grow up and become who you
really are.” But do you know who you are?
Job seekers can emerge from unemployment more focused and in sync with
what they really want and need. Being between jobs is the perfect time to
reassess your path. If you felt you were going in the wrong direction, now is
the time to get on a more fulfilling road. Did you have a job in finance but
want to try something different? Have you been considering going to graduate
school to advance your career?
A career counselor can help walk you through the job search process,
offer assessment tests of what jobs best fit your personality, or can help you
answer any of those difficult questions.
9. Do something you always wanted to do
While waiting for your next job, remember to enjoy life. You might not
get the luxury of having this much free time again. Use that to your advantage
and do the fun creative things you have always wanted to do. This lull could be
the perfect opportunity to complete a personal endeavor you have been putting
off.
Have you always wanted to start your own business? An entrepreneurial
assessment report from a career counselor will tell you if you have what it
takes to do that. Now is the time to do the things you always wanted to do and
explore possibilities.
10. Stay positive
How we define the situations we are placed in determines our action and
how we are going to work towards the outcome we desire. Action is a positive
force. Hopefully you have a friend, group, or family member that helps you stay
optimistic in your job search. If you do not stay positive you will not be
motivated to take the necessary steps to find the right job.
I am a strong believer that people create a certain energy in their job
search process.
When people ask you, ‘’what do you do?” You can smile and say that you
are between jobs. That comes from a sense of confidence in yourself, your
resume and in the image you created for yourself.
In the end you will accomplish your goal of getting a job. But while you
are between jobs, get up and stay motivated by following these 10 steps.
Read more at: http://jobmob.co.il/blog/between-jobs/#ixzz1sxiaZEI6
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