Job hunting can be a laborious and time-consuming task, with so much to read, prepare and grasp prior to an interview. Staying motivated while job hunting will see your productivity and the overall quality of your applications rise. Avoid becoming overwhelmed by job hunting by following these pointers.
Establish yourself on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a popular social media site and major networking tool that helps organisations find new employees and helps job hunters connect with people in similar situations. Establishing yourself on LinkedIn by sharing a post asking if anyone is looking for new staff, or simply by connecting with local recruiters can help your chances of finding a position. Make sure you have a professional photo which shows some personality, as well as an up-to-date profile. You can go further by getting creative and posting blogs on LinkedIn, or by reacting and engaging with other people’s content. Read our tips on how to improve your social media presence when job hunting.
Have a basic CV ready
Job hunting can be an extensive task; filling in applications and updating your CV to suit each role takes up a lot of time. Try breaking it down into smaller sections to make the application process less daunting.
First, ensure your basic CV is of good quality. That’s including your details, education history and employment history. After that, you can tailor the more specialised skills and experience sections to reflect the job you are applying for.
Take a break, and then go back with fresh eyes to see if there is anything else you can add. Once your CV or application is ready, make a start on your cover letter. Similarly to a CV, it’s good practice to tailor each cover letter to the role that you’re applying for. This too can be a lengthy process, try using the Unitemps cover letter template for a head start on writing yours.
Create a job hunting routine
It can be easy for routines to slip when you are out of work and don’t have a daily schedule. Creating a daily routine, going to bed and waking up at a similar time to when you would normally at work, having regular activities in the morning and afternoon, and dedicating a certain amount of time per day to job hunting will keep motivation high.
Hours can quickly pass when looking through the numerous online job boards, so keeping track of time and committing a few hours per day to job hunting will stop the mindless scrolling, and allow you to continue doing productive things with your day.
Be realistic about your job search
Be realistic about your job search and change the types of jobs you are applying for accordingly. If you are not getting any responses for management-level roles, it might be worth applying for roles at a less senior level. Applying for roles that you are extremely overqualified for can also hinder your job search, but getting one interview or call-back can boost morale.
Equally, if you’re getting regular feedback that you’re inexperienced in certain areas, explore what those areas are, and if you can improve them.
Take online courses to boost your skillset
There are thousands of online resources available for free that can boost skills in your specialist area. Utilise your spare time well and research the online courses that would be good for you. List the ones that would help in your line of work, and use this as a checklist for your learning.
Professional learning communities are free to access and can be a great way to network with and learn from like-minded people in your industry. Online searches are often the best way to find these communities, but we recommend checking out Facebook groups that you can join and following relevant LinkedIn hashtags.
Take on temporary work to enhance your CV
Taking on temporary work can be a great way to enhance your CV in areas you might be lacking. Many of the entry-level vacancies available through Unitemps are great for people looking to build their CVs, offering a chance to build skills in a variety of areas, over a short space of time.
Taking on temporary work is also a great way to understand the different areas within an industry. You can try out different roles before committing yourself to a permanent job that you might not enjoy. Discover temporary job roles available through Unitemps.
Get outside and do the things you enjoy
Between job searches, be sure to get some sunshine and fresh air. Fresh air is hugely stimulating and can help you feel motivated. If you are spending more time at home, it can be nice to walk to a local café for a few hours, to do your job hunting for that day.
Spend your downtime doing things that you enjoy. Whether that’s meeting with friends, going to the library or playing a game of football, spending your downtime away from your job search will help boost morale and keep optimism up.
Research your chosen career path
Spend time researching your chosen career and the different job roles that you could apply for. Doing this throughout your job search will not only maintain your interest, but it will remind you why you wanted to go down this path to begin with. The ‘What can I do with my degree?‘ collection on the Unitemps career advice pages is packed full of information on different industries.
Whilst researching, spend time talking to people in the industry, read up on contextual information to ensure you stay in the loop, and sign up for newsletters so that you’re up to date with industry news.
Register with Unitemps and find a role that suits you on our website.
Last updated on 24 May 2024
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