If you’re looking for a new job in 2009 it probably means you were a victim of the economy (or might have just picked a recession year to move to a new city…like me). With the recession lingering on and nothing but pessimism from the media, searching for your next career move is a hard and depressing thing to do…especially when you are your own cheerleader. Below are some tips I have used to stay positive, hope they help you.
- Get out of bed – Don’t just set your alarm clock and wake up, get out of bed, shower and get dressed. Don’t stay in your PJs, sit on the couch and watch TV all day. Can’t wake up because the daunting task of applying for jobs is in front of you? Try coffee. Want to be healthier? Go to the gym! Exercising in the morning gives you energy and releases endorphins. Now you are ready to take on another day!
- Be organized – Beyond organizing your electronic applications, organize your life. Make a daily schedule for yourself…this doesn’t have to be the same everyday…set aside 3-5 hours everyday for you to search for jobs, find networking events in your area, online networking activities, following up with contacts, and other very important job searching activities.
- Stay current in your industry – Find relevant publications (print, online, video, podcasts, etc.) that report trends and current news about your industry. Read them! It is so important to stay current on your industry while you are out of the scene. When you are on an interview, talking with your possible future boss, what if they ask you about a new emerging trend…and you have no idea what they’re talking about?? You just lost your opportunity!
- Network - This will get you out of the house for a bit, keep up your conversation and people skills, and introduce you to people in your industry who might just hire you or find you your next job. Read my previous posts about networking for the “How To.”
- Volunteer - Want to get out of the house more? Devote some of your time and talents to a non-profit organization. This will help you keep up your skills, network more and feel great while doing it because you’re helping out a worthy and appreciative organization. (This is becoming a huge trend in the 2009 recession period, many trend and news articles can be found on any traditional news site.)
- Get a Hobby – After searching for a job, exercising, volunteering and sleeping you still have a few hours in the day available. So, why not start a hobby? A busy professional always wishes there were more hours in the day for their personal goals, so now that you have that time take advantage of it! Learn a language, take dance or cooking classes, learn how to paint or upholster furniture, whatever you’ve always wanted to learn, now is the time!
Good luck! If you find these tips helpful and you put them to work, please send me your story. I would love to post them as inspiration to others.
