The Power of Consistency: Building a Job Search Routine
21 April 2023
Are you ready to take control of your job search? It’s no secret that looking for new work can feel daunting, stressful, and sometimes even an overwhelming process, but it really doesn’t need to be that way. If you’re tired of feeling lost or frustrated, it’s time to take action. Instead of letting your job search control you, start by taking charge of your daily routine. With a few small changes, you can re-focus your efforts, re-align your goals, and make real progress. Whether you’re employed or unemployed, it’s time to stop feeling like you’re stuck in a never-ending cycle of submitting resumes and cover letters without seeing progress.
Let’s get to work and create a daily routine to set you up for success:
- Start your day with positive habits: try waking up at the same time each day, eating a healthy breakfast, and consider journaling, doing some light exercise or meditating. Create a routine you can commit to and that works for your own unique circumstances. This can help you feel energised and become intentional in relation to your job search.
- Make your plan: Set achievable daily and weekly goals for researching companies of interest, creating or updating application documents, submitting job applications, and following up your applications. Include time for networking on LinkedIn or attending networking or industry events. Maybe you want to set time aside for interview preparation, learning a new skill or understanding your strengths or career values. It’s also important to plan time for self-care to prevent burn out and create balance.
- Create you schedule: Make a daily, weekly or monthly schedule. Prioritise your identified tasks from your plan above based on importance and block off time in your calendar. Make sure schedule a specific amount of time each day/week in small blocks (1-3 hours max). Include breaks, like taking a walk, practicing mindfulness, or chatting with a friend. Most importantly, make sure your schedule is realistic and something that you can feasibly build into your life considering your all your other commitments.
- Remain flexible and open to changing your plan: Life can be unpredictable, so take time to notice what gets in your way or if you start to get off track. If you get invited for a coffee and there is a networking opportunity take it! If a friend forwards you a role you think looks promising that closes tomorrow, re-prioritise your other planned tasks. By remaining agile in your search, you won’t miss out because something didn’t fit into your “original plan” or what you thought you wanted.
- Celebrate all the wins big and small: Job searching can be a long process sometimes, so celebrate each time you achieve one of your goals, big or small. This can help you stay motivated and energised, even when things feel hard.
Making small but purposeful changes to your day, week, and month, can help you re-focus and realign your job search efforts. By creating a new routine, scheduling out your time more strategically, and incorporating some positive habits, you might find your motivation increases and you make movement at a different rate than ever before.
We love helping people to build a realistic job search routine that works for them! If you’re struggling to create or stick to an action plan on your own, reach out to Pro Me for a confidential discussion and see if a vocational counselling or coaching might help you move to the next level in your job search!
“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” – John C. Maxwell
