Tips from the Leadership Coach – Job Search: Spend Your Time Wisely

Go Back to Searchlight Q3 2011

 

Lisa Thompson, Managing Director, Professional Serviceslisa thompson

Searching for your next job may be the hardest job you’ve ever had – but with the right approach and a little luck, it could be one of the shortest. The effectiveness of your job search corresponds to the amount of effort you expend, as well as the quality of your actions. New job seekers are often unsure how to spend their time to reap the highest impact and results, so it helps to have a plan.

You’ve heard it said, but it’s really true: An effective job search campaign should be considered a full-time job. If you are currently unemployed, you should devote the 40 hours or so you’d normally spend working to your job search. It’s easy to slip into a pattern of spending the day on other activities and minimizing the actual time devoted to finding a new opportunity. The “80/20” approach is a good rule of thumb: Spend 80 percent of your available time on high-impact job-search-related activity, and the remaining 20 percent on other, lower-impact activities.

These lower-impact activities include surfing job postings, posting your resume online and focusing on connecting with executive search professionals. Higher-impact activities include networking and reaching out directly to leads and potential employers. Effective job seekers spend a significant portion of their time talking and meeting with network contacts, attending networking events, utilizing social media connections, identifying target companies, and finding referrals through their network.

Start each day with a plan of action to make the most of your time, and you’ll be one busy day closer to landing your next dream job.

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