Job search got you feeling burned out and fed up? Try this instead.
Posted on July 09, 2020 by S A, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.
We don’t want just “any job” right? So, why are we throwing caution (and strategy!) to the wind and applying for anything and everything?
Does this sound familiar?
Laid off in March.
Took the time to wrap your head around it and process the loss (hopefully you did!).
Jumped right into #jobsearching and began submitting 5, 10, 20, 30 applications per day.
Even focused on #networking: thinking about, finding, and connecting with as many people as possible in the hopes that one, just one person might have a job lead (better yet job offer!) for you.
After a couple of weeks, the number of #jobpostings inevitably shrank as you worked through (and probably applied to!) the majority of available #jobboard openings.
You start thinking its time to get creative and ask yourself:
Do I need to look in a different industry?
Should I apply to different roles?
Do I need to switch careers altogether?
Should I go back to school?
Now you’re almost four months into a job search and perhaps feeling lost, uncertain, frustrated, and exhausted.
What if there was another way to #jobsearch? A way to be more strategic and proactive where you place yourself at the center of your job search experience. It isn’t magic, and I’m not here to share my proprietary secret method. It’s pretty straight-forward and quite intuitive once we allow ourselves the opportunity to stop and think critically about our #careergoals.
We don’t want just “any job” right? So, why are we throwing caution (and strategy!) to the wind and applying for anything and everything? How about a different approach? One where you can feel better about the process because you’re taking control of your experience.
If I’ve just described your job search experience for the last couple or even six months consider this alternative process instead:
1. STOP JOB SEARCHING ONLINE
2. Commit to explicitly defining the skills, talents, and experience you possess that differentiates you professionally.
3. Define your ideal job description. Write. It. Down. Specifically state the skills you will use, the experience you will leverage, and the impact and contributions you will make.
4. Identify industries and organizations you will thrive in both for the alignment of your skills and experience and alignment with your core values.
5. Pursue a #networkingstrategy with the deliberate intention of making and developing real, authentic, and reciprocal relationships.
Does the above sound complicated and time-consuming? Perhaps. It’s also more productive (and dare I say less frustrating!) than throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks.
You do have control over your job search experience – don’t let the overwhelming nature of job boards and social media make you think you don’t. You deserve a good job (not just any job), one you will thrive in and enjoy. You can make that happen – as soon as you let go of the idea that your “dream job” is posted on some job board.
