Job Hunting - Making a Job of It!

Something my Father once said to me sticks in my mind now that I find myself without a job. "Make looking for a job your full-time job." He would tell me this as I, yet again, found myself without a job. Experts appear to have come to the same conclusion as my Dad. So, as I once again begin the arduous task of looking for full-time work, I think back to his advice and begin.

But, before I do, there are some things that I need to do, some tips I need to follow, according to the experts. So, here's what I have learned.

1. Manage your time wisely.

2. Resist the temptation to sit around the house sleeping, watching TV or just slacking off.

3. Treat yourself as "THE BOSS" and take your "JOB" very seriously.

4. Figure out what hours you are going to devote to your job search and commit to those hours as though you were actually going to report to a "real" job.

5. Allot time every day for specific things like answering a job ad or doing research on a company you might be interested in working for.

6. Get Organized.

7. Figure out where your "office" will be and create a system to track your job leads, responses, and other information. By doing so, when a recruiter calls, you'll know exactly what to say.

8. Set a reasonable goal for finding the job of your dreams.

9. If you need support, don't hesitate to contact friends or family who might be in the same situation and might be able to share ideas with you.

The last thing, which surprised me, that you should do when looking for a job, is find time to relax. Spending all of your time job hunting can cause a lot of stress. Which could end up causing you lots of extra problems, especially if you are trying to get through that interview and the stress is actually showing.

Experts actually suggest limiting the number of days a week job searching to 3, perhaps 4 days. The rest of the time, they suggest spending time doing all the things you never had time to do because you were, well, working! I couldn't agree more. As I start my first full week of being unemployed (Again!), I find myself wanting to sleep. But, I am on the right track for once. I organized my workspace today, and actually spent about 2 hours working on looking for work. It's a start, and I hope to see the fruits of my labors soon enough.

Here are some of my favorite Job Search Boards:

www.yahoo.com (Hot Jobs)

www.careerbuilder.com

www.monster.com

Oh, and one other tip: don't forget to take a break now and again. I find that stopping and taking a break (just like a regular job) actually helps me to de-stress and remain focused. Listening to music while I search also keeps me in a positive mood.

Good Luck!