A Jobseeker's Biggest Mistake
Three Minute Read
Jobseekers complain about how long it’s taking to land a position. The biggest mistake is a lack of activity. Too few outreaches to people who could hire them. Or to other potentially helpful people who could connect them with decision-makers.
Wouldn’t it be great if you landed a job through a specific number of meetings, applications, and interviews? Sadly, there’s no magic formula. There is a link, however, between the effort expended and search duration.
There’s an old adage in management. “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” This is true in any project, and job search is no exception. Goal-setting and logging progress towards those goals is a tremendous motivator.
Auto dealerships sometimes use a system like the one in this picture. It’s a tally of progress toward monthly car sales goals.
While I’m not suggesting you get a whiteboard and do the same thing during your search, it’s worth tracking your efforts.
What can you do to boost your search activity?
Set a realistic goal for your average weekly outreach. Outreach comes in many forms: emails, texts, interviews, and relationship-building meetings. No one expects you to spend ten hours a day on job search. You need time for meals, recreation, exercise, personal chores, and doing your current job if you are searching for a new one. If you set unattainable goals, you’ll invariably miss them, get discouraged, and stop tracking progress. Instead, come up with achievable goals. You can always increase them when you are hitting your stride.
Track your activity. Keep a log of your actions. To make it easier, get my Job Search Contact Tracker here.
Review your activity weekly. Take stock of what you’ve done each week. And think back on the quality of your outreach. It’s important to maintain close personal relationships, but texting the same small group of friends and adding that to your tally isn’t the same as making contact with people who can hire you. Look back at the quality of your outreach, not just the volume.
Find a job search accountability buddy or group. Have a weekly check-in to review your progress. Discuss what went right during the week and any struggles. Your friends will have tips to share, and you can practice your elevator pitch on them. They’ll provide an important source of support during a potentially stressful time.
If you’re consistently missing your goals, get to the heart of “why?” Are you anxious about reaching out to people you don’t know well? Will people think you’re a pest? These feelings are completely understandable. The trick is to think through them to reduce your level of anxiety. Embrace truths like “Even though I need help, I also have much to offer.” “Hey, maybe this person is really busy and simply doesn’t have the time to talk right now.” Depersonalizing any disappointments gives you the grit to persevere.
Start tracking your progress during your job search. I’m sure it will accelerate your path to a great job!