5 top tips while you’re job hunting
While out of work and looking for a job, it’s important you look after yourself — here are my tips from recent experience.
When I left my job in the middle of January, I wanted to take some time off before jumping back in again.
It was the first time I’d ever left a role without having something to go to. And it scared the life out of me.
Thankfully, my wife and I have enough in immediate savings for me to take some time off unpaid — and she’s been an amazing support throughout the whole process.
I guess I didn’t realise how much I’d need to keep myself motivated and take care of myself during this time.
So here are my top tips — from recent experience — for keeping yourself going while you’re going through the pretty soul-destroying, energy-sapping and confidence-denting process of finding a job.
1. Victoria’s Top Tips: Job, Body, Mind
My good friend and former colleague, Victoria Mostyn, sent me some great advice when I started the job hunt: “each day, do at least one thing to further your job search; do one thing to help your physical health; do one thing to keep your brain ticking.”
I tended to start the day by logging on and doing some writing — I’m a communication pro with a passion for writing, so I’d kick things off by opening up Evernote, pulling out a blog idea and working on that. I also have ideas for books and an online course too, so I’d crack on with moving those forward.
I’d also look at job boards to see what was out there. It seems most jobs are posted on LinkedIn but I’d recommend going through a recruiter, simply because the “481 applicants” note against the job just makes your heart sink (and unless the algorithm behind the application ‘likes’ the way your CV/resume is written, you’re discounted before a human being actually gets to see it).
I also try to walk as much as possible — during the pandemic I walked quite a lot, particularly during the spring and summer months while the weather was amazing here in the U.K.
Whatever your preferred form of exercise, make time for that each day.
2. Take time to do the things you enjoy
As well as writing, I love to read, walk, play and listen to music, mess about with technology and a host of other things.
It’s important you continue with the recreational side of life while you’re hunting around for that new role; otherwise, the waiting gets you down.
After applying for a role, take time to have a mini celebration, for example, a cuppa and a read, or a walk to grab a coffee. Then back to it until you’ve moved your job search forward sufficiently, as per Victoria’s Tip #1 (job).
But schedule time for the things you enjoy too — take an hour out of the schedule to go for a walk. But it needs to be guilt-free — consider this part of the process and an important one at that. As a dad to 2 children, I volunteer for early-morning school runs and after-school club drop-offs/pick-ups to stretch my legs.
Enjoy a long lunch. When you’re back at work, you probably won’t have much time in those early days for a long lunch (note: always make time for a break away from your desk for lunch, regardless of what you do), so make the most of it while you can.
3. You-time isn’t wasted time
If you’re spending time on the things you enjoy, it’s easy to feel guilty that you’re not doing everything you can and spending every free second to get a job.
But you have to realise that exercising Victoria’s Top Tips #2 (body) and #3 (mind) are hugely important for your well-being and motivation. It’s soul-destroying and mentally exhausting to apply for jobs, receive knock-backs, prepare for interviews, go through the interviews themselves and juggle everything else going on in your life, so you need to strike the balance between the job hunt slog and taking care of yourself.
The application process is somewhat out of your control. While your CV/resume is flying through the internal systems of whichever company you’ve applied to, you can’t do much to speed it up, particularly if the role doesn’t close for a few weeks.
Investing time in your well-being, whether that’s physical, mental or emotional, is VITAL during this time. I hope you have the same support around you as I had — I never felt any pressure from my wife to get a job, which was a huge weight off my mind — and it actually made me more determined to find something.
4. Develop yourself
Going back to Victoria’s Top Tip #3 (mind), this is also a great opportunity to learn.
I believe this has a triple benefit:
- You’re keeping your brain active;
- You’re learning new skills you may be able to apply to your new role (or any role in the future);
- It feels like you’re working.
That third point is important — while you may start to feel guilty about doing anything other than progressing that job search, investing time in learning and development is intrinsically linked to your future role(s), and as you may not have the time or opportunity for training sessions when you get into your new job, this is the perfect opportunity to seek out some online training course — free or otherwise — and go for it.
5. Acknowledge, reflect and record
As I mentioned, I enjoy writing. I’m also almost constantly reflecting on life and I find it cathartic to get my thoughts down in a document.
I’ve actually used FutureMe.org for many years to send emails to myself in the future and I’d recommend you try it out.
For the last 8 years, I’ve sent an email to myself on New Year’s Day to arrive the following New Year’s Day with reflections on the year just gone and some predictions and thoughts on the 12 months ahead.
I also send emails on significant dates and after standout moments in my life — again, one year into the future — with reflections on how I’m feeling, what’s going on and what I’m planning on doing. Then when I receive the email, it’s always interesting to see what was going on and to be able to reflect once again on how the situation transpired.
One thing I’ve noticed is that the situation I was in, which was invariably stressful and painful, was never actually as bad in hindsight as it appeared at the time.
Whatever your preference — writing an email to yourself in the future, noting thoughts and feelings on Evernote/Notion, or journaling with an actual writing implement — I’d recommend noting down some thoughts on how you’re feeling, what’s going on around you and what you’re doing about it.
Whatever happens, keep up the good fight — don’t lose faith in your ability to land a job.
Sure, there are days when all you want to do is sit on the sofa and watch TV eating junk food (ok, just me, then?) and there are other days when you want to go for a walk and just forget about everything. I’ve been there.
But the more you look after yourself — your mental and physical well-being — the more you can focus on getting that role you deserve.
If you’d consider following me and/or subscribing to this weekly epistle, that would be awfully kind of you </British>
