A job search can be a long and exhausting process and it’s easy to get lost in the lists of things to do. There are also milestones worth celebrating while conducting a job search, especially in today’s job market. It’s certainly important to keep a positive attitude and keep putting your best foot forward in your job search strategy. Celebrating your milestone successes along the way is important in order to acknowledge the work you are doing. This will help you move forward in a positive and productive way with your job search.
Need some job search strategy ideas and tips?
Transferring your excellent work ethic to your job search and taking the appropriate time you need to relax and recharge may sound hard to do. When you are actively involved in a job search and you are scheduling your time for the week, don’t forget to take some time out of your day to exercise and plan things that you enjoy doing to stay in balance.
For instance, you could stack personal and job-search outings to save money and time. As an example, run personal errands as if you were on a lunch hour so you can spend disciplined, focused time on your job search during business hours. And, use your time wisely! Certainly, your job search time is not the time to remodel, construct, or make lengthy repairs or other things in place of job searching. Because, if you treat it like a job, you will land a job much faster.
MAGNETIC TIP: Acknowledge and celebrate the small successes in your job search—even if you literally pat yourself on the back or indulge in a cupcake. On the whole, that positive energy will keep you in motion!
Indeed, the ultimate prize is landing the job. However, there are many steps and wins along the way that should be recognized and celebrated. Doing so will help you stay motivated, optimistic, positive, and keep you moving forward toward your goal of landing your dream job.
Job search events are worth celebrating!
To illustrate, the following are some things you can celebrate while conducting a job search:
- Researching and selecting the top 10 agencies or organizations where you’d like to work.
- Selecting the right-fit job announcement in which you will receive a high score.
- Eliminating job announcements that you would otherwise have prepared your resume and application for only to find out you weren’t highly qualified.
- Creating your branding statement.
- Finishing your new targeted resume and cover letter.
- Positive application scores or rating as “Best Qualified” for a position.
- Being referred to the hiring official.
- Making new contacts or leads of any kind.
- Reconnecting and preparing your references to be your allies.
- When your references are contacted.
- Initiating and obtaining an informational interview.
- Securing a first or second interview.
- Learning at the interview that it might not be the job you wanted.
- Landing the job!
- Anything that moves you in the direction of landing your dream job!
Accordingly, keep in mind that even if you secure the interview and don’t land the job, it’s okay. Don’t let that stop your momentum.
These are examples of milestones and accomplishments that should be recognized and celebrated. In fact, each one could be considered a step closer to success! So keep going. Soon, the right one will happen especially if you keep up your momentum and a positive attitude.
For more than 25 years, I've been trusted by all levels of professionals to senior executives in the Federal Government to collaborate with them and strategize, coach, and write not only their single most important document—the resume—but all of their career marketing that propels them upward in the ranks of the Federal Government and private sector. And, I would love to meet you and help you with yours! Thank you for stopping by!
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