Tip #8: Keep the pace
Transform your job search with 20 Job Search Tips in 20 Days
This email is part of a series “20 Job Search Tips in 20 Days”. Every day in December, you’ll receive a job search tip for career changers.
Job Search Tip #8: Keep the pace
Burnout. Happens to the best of us. Whether we are working hard in a job or working hard to GET a job, being too hard on yourself will only cause stress that will force you to take a break.
Breaks are necessary. If you want to keep the pace in the job search, you’ll want to create a schedule. Being stressed out will only create a worse experience for you in your job search.
A schedule helps to keep you going, while allowing for breaks to support your mental health. Building momentum in the job search takes patience. Patience with yourself, most importantly. Building habits to support your job search can look like going on daily walks, sharing public updates on Linkedin or simply NOT job searching on certain days.
I’ve written about this topic earlier in a post where I introduced the 10-hour job search. Check it out for details on how to make this happen:
Most importantly, you are not alone. ALL people in the job search go through bouts of feeling down about themselves and their job search progress. If you’re ready to change how you approach the job search follow these steps:
Break up your job search actions into single activities (ex. applying, networking, etc)
Time box your activities for extra focus
Take breaks in between the job search activities
Here’s how job seekers are doing it:
If you want to keep the pace, don’t think that more is better. Be strategic in how you spend your time, especially applying to jobs, which can feel draining. Limit those activities that are draining to the absolute minimum. Add more activities that bring you to joy, even if it’s not directly related to your job search.
Instead of procrastinating your job search, do the bare minimum that will build momentum. This can look different for each person. For most people, this looks like reaching out to new people for networking and connection calls. The more strategic connections you make, the more likely you are to get interviews!
Instead of procrastinating your job search, do the bare minimum that will build momentum.
What does doing the bare minimum look like?
Every job search is unique. For some, cold applying is enough to get an interview, while for others no amount of cold applying seems to work. Find the balance of activities that create the best outcomes in your job search.
Doing your bare minimum can look like spending only 2 mornings a week on job search activities and the rest spending time outside or with friends. It can also look like 20 hours for going to live networking events, virtual events and networking with new connections on Linkedin. The total time depends on YOU and how you’re feeling.
Find the right balance of time and activities so that you can keep going because showing up consistently, is what matters most, even if it’s for 1 hr per day.
To everyone job searching during the holidays… you got this, keep going 🌟
If you missed them, here are 3 previous tips: