Ways to avoid procrastination when job hunting

If you are currently unemployed and looking for another job, it’s easy to fall into the rut of procrastination.  After all, looking for a job is WORK. And, if you have lots of time on your hand, it’s tempting to just avoid the time and frustration associated with the effort.

So, how can you stay the course and maintain the regimen required until you land that next job offer?  We offer these simple, yet effective, ideas to avoid procrastination:

• Treat the day like a work day– that means getting out of those pj’s and getting dressed.  Find a location in the house where you will spend your job-hunting time.  It could be a desk in a spare room or the dining table.  Or, perhaps the library or a cafe.
• Create a plan of attack– work on an outline of the type of job you’re looking for. Define the type of work you want to do. Once you have that, determine which companies offer what you’re looking for and then narrow that list down to companies you want to work for.
• Schedule your plan of attack– make a detailed calendar of your job search strategy with dates and times for all of your relevant tasks. For example, on Monday between 9:00am and 12:00pm, you will update your resume. You could take a one-hour lunch break and then apply to your target companies between 1:00pm until 5:00pm. Then, stick to your plan.
• Use the necessary tools at your disposal-is your laptop and internet working well.  Is your resume updated and revised so it’s relevant to that next company you are applying to? If you are scheduled for an interview today, are you dressed properly and have all the resume copies and other documents needed?
• Check off those completed tasks!-reward yourself as you complete steps along the way in the job search by checking off those completed tasks.

In short, approach your job search by working it like a regular job.  Work an allotted amount of time daily in a methodical method. Maintain a positive attitude and be assured that you are on track to finding that next job.

From The Key Corporate Services Blog Team