4 Keys To A More Successful Job Search
Maintaining a successful job search can be tough – it is often said that finding a full time job is a full time job in itself. From searching for suitable vacancies to drafting out numerous resumes and sending dozens of emails, there are many steps that need to be completed, which can make keeping on track of everything quite a challenge.
Organization is therefore crucial to prevent a job hunt from becoming more time-consuming and difficult than necessary. Here is a selection of top tips to help you remain in control and maintain a highly successful job search.
1. Set out your goals
Before you start looking for job vacancies, decide on what you want to achieve. Think about factors like:
- Your preferred role
- Your preferred industry
- Your desired location
- Your salary expectations
This will make it easier for you to stay focused, as you will have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish at the end of your job search.
2. Build a routine
As job hunting can be a real challenge, it is often easy to postpone tasks. This procrastination can simply prolong your search and prevent you from landing certain job roles. Create a detailed schedule outlining the step you need to complete, how much time you want to dedicate to searching weekly and when you will complete each job. Add the most taxing tasks for the times of the day when you are most productive to prevent you from delaying the most important steps.
Putting together a schedule can make your job search more focused and structured. Regularly review and update your plan to keep track of what is happening and gain a clear understanding of your progress. Top tips include:
- Update the schedule every time you get a reply or status change
- Date every action so you know when to follow up, send replies and email thank you notes
3. Take advantage of tools
There are many apps and tools that can be used to organise your job search. Evernote can help you to arrange all the documents related to your job search, such as your resumes, cover letters and references by synchronizing them across all devices.
There are also free management systems such as JibberJobber which give you the opportunity to manage the entire process. They can add in and store suitable job vacancies, remind you to submit applications and provide you with a timeline of the steps that need to be completed.
By using a project management system to organize all applications and their progression, this can prevent any information or applications from becoming lost or forgotten.
4. Remember to rest and relax
As job hunting can be a stressful ordeal, take regular breaks and spend time with your family and friends. Talking about everything with the people closest to you can help to make the process easier, as they can offer support and provide insight to help you along the way.
We understand that looking for a new role can be long and draining, so it is crucial to find a system that allows you to keep on track and continue progressing forward. By thinking carefully about your workspace, schedule and tools, while sticking to a routine that works for you, you can remain organized, have a more successful job search, and give yourself the very best opportunity of landing that perfect role sooner.
About the Author
Lauren Knowles is a digital content writer for Portfolio Payroll, a leading specialist payroll recruitment agency with years of experience matching high quality candidates with payroll vacancies at highly regarded businesses.