Job hunting can be easy if you find a job quickly, or for most job hunters it can approach nightmarish status as it drags on for weeks and perhaps months. The one factor that brings earlier success in the job hunt is personal motivation. Here are some practical tips to help you achieve success and keep you motivated in your job hunt:
Set achievable daily and weekly goals: How many phone calls are you going to make every day to potential employers? How many resume packages are you going to send out every day? How many hours a day are you going to work at job hunting? It is a full time job to find the right job so you should have an excellent reason for less than a full time job hunting effort.
Be disciplined in your approach and stick to your planned routine. Set up a workable follow-up system and work the system. Don't be out cutting the grass at 10am when you should be making telephone calls or doing job research.
Study and Perfect How to Sell Yourself: Losing a job can have a negative effect on our feelings of self worth. Focus on your accomplishments both on and off the job. Your job is to learn how to sell yourself.
It's productive to think like the prospective employer. Would you hire yourself? What do you have to offer? Remember the employer will be investing a lot of money in you, including your salary and training. Come up with the most persuasive and strongest three to five reasons why you're worth hiring. Refine and hone these reasons and you've made an excellent start in selling yourself to the prospective employer.
Productive use of the Telephone: In your daily job hunting plan don't forget how important the telephone is find job leads and meet the right people. Work hard at developing a 20-30 second "elevator speech" highlighting your selling proposition. If nothing is currently available, make it a point to always ask for a referral. This can be a productive strategy in tracking down job leads and job opportunities.
Interview Preparation: Develop a list of up to 50 or more questions you are likely to be asked in the job interview. Have someone ask you the questions and tape your responses, if no video recorder is available make an audio tape of your responses. Critique your performance. Was your tone warm and positive? Did your nervousness come through by speaking to loud or fast? Work at improving your performance, not only the responses but the accompanying body language is also critical in communicating and selling yourself.
Remember, the favorable first impression, is a combination of personal confidence and positive body language. Studying and researching both will go a long way in selling yourself to the prospective employer.
The Network Advantage: When you've worked out the direction of you job hunt make productive use of networking. Ask for advice and referrals. Don't forget to send hand written thank you notes to all that assist you. Studies have shown that up to 70% of jobs are found through networking.
As you measure your daily job hunting activity against your overall job hunting plan you should get a feeling of accomplishment. These accomplishments will generate the required motivation and drive to see that you reach your ultimate goal: finding the right job and career and ultimately winning the job hunt.
John Groth
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