Four things to do while looking for work

One of the hardest challenges for job seekers is to figure out what to do in between job interviews.  Waiting to hear from recruiters could turn into an excruciating experience that could fill you with frustration and anxiety.  What to do, then, in the meantime? After sending the customary thank-you letter, stay busy.  Below are four suggestions to remain occupied:

Schedule your daily activities.  There is nothing more demoralizing than waking up and having the feeling that you are not needed anywhere.  You can effectively manage your time regardless of your employment status. It's up to you to approach your job search as a job. Create your own activities and put together a schedule.  Block time for job searching, networking, do some physical activity and time to unwind and do something fun.  A little structure will help you stay motivated.

Learn something new.  Learning does not stop after graduation.  There are plenty of reputable, online resources available to expand your knowledge.  The OpenCourseWare Consortium is a community of of universities around the world that provide free university-level courses online.  There are thousands of options to choose from.  Another way to learn something new is to get in the habit of staying up to date on world and industry events.  Remaining current will give you plenty of fodder when engaging in conversation during an interview or networking.

Practice your networking skills weekly.  Networking is a strategic, systematic activity to build and cultivate relationships for mutual gain.  The key word here is mutual.  Inexperienced networkers meet people with the expectation of asking a favor.  This approach rarely works.  Effective networking takes time as both parties need to get to know each other and build trust.  Being in between jobs gives you the opportunity to attend events and start nurturing relationships that could become future job leads.

Journal and spot lessons learned.  Looking for work could become a draining activity that requires perseverance, confidence and resilience.  You are bound to feel the pressure mounting as times goes by.  Writing your feelings in a journal will provide you with a safe environment to be truthful to yourself.   Besides, having the opportunity to revisit your thoughts could give you a chance to reflect and to learn from the experience.

Despite of what others may think, being in transition does not mean you have no life.  It is all a matter of organizing your time, and finding activities that keep you focused and motivated.


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