Looking for a job really can seem like a full-time job in itself and you should be aiming to dedicate at least 4 hours to it every day. With this in mind, structuring and organising your job search will make the whole process much simpler and less stressful in the long run.
Follow our tips to ensure that your job search is both smooth and effective.
1. Identify what you want
There’s no point diving into a job search if you are not really sure about what it is that you are looking for. You don’t want to end up wasting your time reading job descriptions and applying for roles that ultimately aren’t really for you. Try and home in on key areas of interest and structure your job search around these. It’s also ok to modify what these interests are as you go along, as you may realise that you dream job isn’t what you thought.
2. CV at the ready
Before you even begin your job search you need to arm yourself with an awesome CV. Make sure it reads well, the formatting makes sense and there are zero mistakes! For help with perfecting your CV, visit our How to Write a CV page.
3. Set yourself a schedule
As we already mentioned, looking for a job can be a full-time job in itself and you need to treat it that way. Be ready to start promptly at 9 am, designate yourself a lunch hour and a finishing time. This takes some self-discipline, but you could look at it as preparing yourself for full-time working hours when you do land that great opportunity!
4. Stay motivated
Rejection is inevitable when searching for jobs, as it’s highly unlikely that you will be successful in the first thing that you apply for. Try not to take rejection too personally and take on board any feedback that you can get along the way. Those that are persistent in their job hunt are the ones that get their dream roles in the end. Rest-assured sooner or later a job offer will come!
5. Reply promptly
If you receive an email or a voicemail from a recruiter then get back in touch with them as soon as possible. Things can move very quickly in the world of recruitment and they may well want to interview you the next day. Getting back to them as soon as you can will ensure that you don’t miss out on an opportunity.
6. Keep a list
It’s always awkward when you take a call from a recruiter or employer and you’re thinking to yourself “I have no idea what job this is even for.” It can also be a little embarrassing if you have to ask. To avoid this, keep a list of all the jobs you have applied for, this way when a company does get it touch you will be able to remind yourself who they are, what the job is and what they were looking for.
7. Be interview ready
After all your hard work job searching and applying for opportunities, you should be rewarded with invitations to interviews. This is when you need to go back to your applications list, find the job description and conduct your company research. You should also ensure that you have your outfit ready as if you’re invited to interview at short notice you won’t have time to go out and buy one! Follow our Interview Advice to ensure that you are fully equipped to ace that interview and receive an all-important job offer.
Good luck with your job search!
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