Looking for a job is a full-time job

Yes, you’ve heard it before. Looking for a job is a full-time job. Well, it is true. Have you also heard that you should expect to take you one month for every $10,000 of salary that you expect? That means that if you are looking for a job that pays $60,000 a year, you should expect to be looking for six months. Six months!!!

This can take forever!

Looking for work, especially career positions is like trying to make a sale on a long sales cycle. What I mean by that is that if you are selling expensive software, you may need to call on many customers for 6 to 12 months before they finally buy.  It is long sales cycle from the first call to the actual sale.  Well, looking for a job usually has long sales cycle too. In sales, you have to keep your pipeline full of prospects so that you can keep closing on sales throughout the year, each one staggered in the sales process so you have a steady stream of income.

******************Advertisement*********************************
Need some help getting ready for your interview? I can help!
Download The Professional Guide to Nailing Your Interview absolutely FREE
Step by step instructions on how to ace any job interview!
**************************************************************

You need to do something similar in your job search.  You start your job search by answering ads on job boards like monster.com, following leads from friends, or simply contacting companies.  It is like making a cold call. You submit your resume, prospect for jobs, and find out who is hiring.  You need to spend you time connecting with hiring companies and recruiters, making them aware that you are in the market for a new job.

You may be lucky and get a hit quickly, or you may answer dozens of ads before anyone calls you back.

Cock-a-doodle dooooo!!!

Next, make sure if you are unemployed that you get up every morning at the same time as when you were working. Make sure your daily routine includes showering, getting dressed, eating breakfast, and get to work on getting a job.  Make sure you work the job boards, return your phone calls, do your follow-up emails and work your network. The order of what you doesn’t matter, but creating a routine is very important.  Don’t sit around in your jammies, watching Jerry Springer until noon or you will find the day slipping away with no prospects.

Do that everyday and make sure you understand that if you are unemployed, this is your new job.  Do not get discouraged, and work every avenue, including telling everyone you know that you need a job.  Almost everyone finds themselves in this position in their career, so don’t be proud.   Tell everyone you know that you nee d work.  You will be pleasantly surprised at how much they want to help.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can….

Also, maintain an attitude of gratitude no matter what.  If you get down and let yourself stay down, you will get more of that – bad news.  Stay up and be positive because you attract what it is that you think about.  If are thinking about negative things, you will get that much more of it.

Understand that finding a decent paying job in a tough economy is hard work.  Get a plan and work your plan.

Hope this helps.

Email me your questions at mike.anderson@directyourcareer.com and read my blog at http://www.directyourcareer.com.