Have you been job hunting for a long time with little results? It can be a demoralising process, especially the longer it goes on. Often all a job hunt needs is a reboot to put some more life into it and into you and help you down the right path towards a new job. I advise that you first take a few days off. Spend some decent focused time with friends and family. Switch off from the job hunt and don’t do anything work related. Get some exercise and some fresh air. Ideally get some time in a different town. Then when you are focused and rested try out these ideas on how to reboot your job hunt:
- What do you want?
This is a simple and fundamental question, yet so often job hunters do not have an answer. What sort of job are you looking for? Do you want to change industry? What qualifications and skills do you want to make the most of? What sort of people and company do you want to work for? These sorts of questions can be easy to answer once broken down, but by answering them it can you the focus you need. Use a pen and paper and take your time answering the questions. You have me on your hands – use it.
- Change your time
How long do you spend a week searching for a new job? Chances are you could spend more time job hunting. Measure how long you spend on average searching for a new job in a week, then you can assess how much more time you could spend. Obviously spending hours scrolling through job sites is pointless, instead spend your time researching and networking.
- Reassess your social networks
We are starting to live in a world where social media is a must. Having a strong and consistent social media presence is no longer optional when looking for a job. Maybe you have a Twitter you rarely use, or a LinkedIn which needs updating. As employers increasingly look at your online presence to assess you, taking your time and putting effort into your social media profiles can pay off.
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net