Job Searching is a Full Time Job

This is about bouncing back when life (the economy) knocks you down.

Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

I am 33 and have been unemployed twice. Each time I was unemployed for roughly 10 months, I felt like I was losing precious time, and my fire and confidence hit new lows. These were hard times and the best teachers.

One of the hardest parts about being laid off is feeling like what happened could have been avoided if you were somehow better at your job. Even if they say it has nothing to do with performance it’s really hard not to compare yourself to those who made it through the layoff. I recognize that while time is always a luxury few have it is especially true when you are unemployed. How much time you have to feel down is relative to your situation. What is clear is if you’re jumping into job searching you need to be ready to work really, really hard.

You need more discipline than at a regular 9-to-5 job because no one is holding you accountable, pushing you, or paying you.

The job market is always competitive, even when it’s ripe with jobs. You need more discipline than at a regular 9-to-5 job because no one is managing you, pushing you, or paying you. Some days you wake up ready to get to work and others you just want to lie in bed playing video games. The scary/dangerous part is that if you choose to do the latter no one is going to get on your case about it. It’s too easy to create habits that hurt your productivity. If you aren’t honest with yourself then you may find yourself in ruts that last weeks and they can become very dark. It’s up to you, and only you, to get yourself out of them. Family and friends help a whole lot, but ultimately it comes down to you. Job Searching is a full time job and then some.

A common mistake is thinking “all I need to do is apply to 3 jobs each week so I can get my unemployment check.” While that may be all you need for the check the reality is you need to be applying to 3–4 jobs per day, and constantly on the look out for opportunities.

Never stop searching for jobs; just because you found a few jobs that interest you doesn’t mean there aren’t more out there.

You never know what you will find or what you will miss. Some jobs are only open for a few days. If you don’t strike when the iron is hot, then you will miss your chance to apply to that awesome job or company you found. That happened to me on several occasions and each time I felt like banging my head against the wall until I finally learned my lesson. If I found a job that resonated with me, peaked my interest, and had me dreaming about it then I applied that same day. Of course, to do that you need to come prepared.

There are loads of free resources online on what makes a strong resume and how to do it, as well as how to optimize your job profile to make it easier for recruiters to find you. There are free webinars you can attend to help you with creating your elevator pitch (think Why should I hire you?), how to interact with recruiters, land the first interview, and so on. There are also networking events where you can practice interviewing or hear from other folks on what worked/didn’t work for them.

All of these things go into finding a job. And then there’s the resume and cover letters. This was never ending work for me; my resume was a live document. I was constantly updating my resume to have it respond better to what I was applying to. I wasn’t kidding when I said that job searching is a full time job and then some.

You will likely learn a lot about yourself while unemployed.

But if you do all of this and don’t give up, you will find that new job you are working your butt off for. And when you get it you’ll have a fire in your belly like no other. You will likely learn a lot about yourself while unemployed such as what motivates you to work, what helps you be and stay focused, how to stay hungry and energized, as well as physical and mental health routines.