It’s your duty to prioritize your joy. EVEN in your job search.
Searching for a new job may not bring you overwhelming joy, especially if your job search hasn’t been super successful so far…I get it. But, making your job search a priority is a necessary step to having a more fulfilling career, which brings JOY!
Tell me, have you been feeling like this lately…
- Hiring managers say you don’t have enough experience and it confuses you because you know you do.
- You’ve been laid-off or furloughed and you’re ready to use this opportunity to have a career that finally makes you proud.
- You get interviews here and there but they don’t go anywhere and you’re tired of missing opportunities that would be perfect for you, especially right now with tons of people looking for a new job.
- This pandemic has been the wake up call you needed to finally get serious about the changes you’ve been wanting in your career but you’re not really sure how to get noticed right now, and you’re feeling a little stuck and frustrated.
If you’re thinking “oh my goodness, yes this is me!”, I want you to know that everything you’re feeling about your job search right now (confused, excited, scared, frustrated, optimistic) is all okay. Yes, your job search has probably been complicated, stressful and overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be that way. So, how do you realistically make time for your job search and ensure success (and joy!) when it feels like life is pulling you in 100 different directions? You should know by now that I’m NOT like other coaches. I don’t agree with applying to jobs non-stop, and especially not on job boards. Stop comparing yourself to others who seem to have more time and are applying to more jobs. All that does is make you feel guilty for not spending that much time on your job search and frustrated when you do spend that much time on your job search and have nothing to show for it.
I don’t roll like that. I want you to focus on QUALITY over quantity. I want you to be happy and have fun, not frustrated and worn out (I’ve been there and I wouldn’t want anyone in the situation I’ve been in health-wise).
So here are some ways I teach my clients in how to prioritize their job search:
1. Daily non-negotiable hours.
What? What are those? So non-negotiable hours are realistic, practical and distraction-free time you designate for your job search based on your actual personal and professional schedule. When you set time aside (treat this like a meeting from your boss!) you’re giving yourself permission to spend quality time on your job search but not more time than necessary. I don’t want you going down the rabbit trail.
I want you to have a strategic plan. This time, set aside EACH DAY, ensures that when it’s time to focus on your job search, you’re 100% focused and when it’s time to focus on other commitments and priorities you can do so 100% guilt-free. Did you know that this is the TOP trick I teach my clients? By scheduling “meetings” with themselves, they are able to spend less time on their job search, and STILL get interviews and offers! When you combine non-negotiable hours with proven job search strategies, you end up with a job search PLAN that doesn’t feel overwhelming or time-consuming. You are able to prioritize JOY back into your life!
So, if you’re ready to optimize your time and prioritize your job search in a new way that doesn’t feel unrealistic, try allocating non-negotiable hours to your job search. And put it into your schedule EACH day.
2. You’ll have to sit down, be humble and look forward.
This isn’t as cut and dry as scheduling in hours, but is just as important. Being humble (and that takes slowing down too), is essential to successfully transition into the next chapter of your career, and landing the job you desire. Even if this job search ball has been dropped in your court on a field you haven’t played on in years, or perhaps you have never had to play this game before, now is not the time to assume that because you were/are good at your job means you’ll also be good at job searching. Job searching takes an incredible amount of humility, discipline and being proactive.
I love this quote from the book Elevate: Push Beyond Your Limits –
“A huge part of being proactive is looking forward, even if the horizon is not clear or you have sunk a lot into your current situation, making you double down on a bad decision. Moving forward requires not looking over your shoulder, other than to learn from mistakes. It also requires focusing energy on what you can control, not on macro trends and uncontrollable circumstances.”
You can’t control that it’s raining today, right? But you CAN control if you’re going to let the rain ruin your plans. So, I know it’s hard, but you’ve got this. Don’t let the job search steal your joy!
3. Get a strategic plan
Progress will feel invisible…ESPECIALLY when you don’t have a plan. I have found that many of you you have no idea what you’re doing and you feel like you’re just throwing stuff into the wind. I’ve found once you get a strategic plan your confidence will increase but your progress will feel invisible until the results hit you in the face.
Getting a new job doesn’t happen overnight and being good at what you do (having experience, great performance reviews, etc.) doesn’t make your job search any easier. But it does become more bearable and less stressful when you have people along for the ride and when you have a clear GPS to get to where you want to go.
I don’t want anyone left hanging around and getting frustrated. So let’s get your joy back!