some exercise each day.
•Eat healthily.
Once you have got into good habits on job search you can read through the section on selection, in particular the sections on the phone interview and interview preparation in Chapters 17 and 18. Once you get shortlisted you can read about the interview and psychometric testing and assessment centres in Chapters 19–21.
You may need help in staying motivated, so Chapter 22 will be a great read. And finally you will get a job offer, and when you do you want to make sure it’s the right job for you; Chapter 23 addresses the areas to consider before you say yes.
Once you get a new job, go back to all the sites where you uploaded your CV and details and delete or deactivate them so you can no longer be contacted. You don’t want your new boss thinking you are already looking for a new job. Also note which sites were most helpful for you and which CV was most effective as you may, unfortunately, be in this position again.
No job is for life, so remember the lessons learned from this and keep your CV up to date just in case.
All my very best in your job search success.
Visit the website to download the additional resources:
•Extensive range of forms
•Audio clips
CHAPTER TWO: GETTING ORGANISED
Getting organised includes creating a filing system to manage papers and forms, both online and paper versions, and forms to manage the different tasks and paperwork. You will need to identify people who will provide references. Before that though, you need to make sure you have a high commitment to the task of finding work, and have a personal support system in place.
Commitment to the task of finding work
“When you look to a date in the future, remember: if you had started today, you would already have achieved success.” Denise Taylor
Looking for a job is a full-time job. If you are out of work due to the recession, you can devote many hours a day to your search efforts. However, if you are in a full-time job, you are going to want to plan your time carefully so you have the time and energy to devote to this task. You must be sure to continue to work effectively in your job no matter how much you may not like the work you do. There will be plenty of other people eager to take your position, and if your boss thinks you are not really interested in it, then it could be you who is the one to lose their job.
How will you find the time to spend on job search? Could you stop watching as much TV or get up at least an hour earlier each day? How about working on weekends or taking a day’s holiday to focus solely on your job search?
If you begin any task in a half-hearted way, you are unlikely to succeed. You will stumble and be hesitant at the first sign of difficulty, and that bold decision to get a new job will fade away. So for now, think about your level of commitment. Make a note of how committed you are to your job search. 10 means you are totally committed, and 1 means you are not at all committed:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
With a level of commitment of 7 or below, you are unlikely to reach your goal of getting that great new job. If you find one excuse after another for not starting, it represents lack of commitment. There is also the danger of having too many other commitments and not enough time for your job search.
Plan your time
Have an established routine – make sure you do some work each day. If you are in full-time work, will you complete your job search and applications before or after work?
Make a note of how many hours you will spend on your job search each week. This needs to be a minimum of eight hours, and ideally more. If you have limited time available, decide whether to give up other commitments, or accept that your job search might take a year or more. You could divide this time into so many hours per day.
I will spend ___ hours a week on job search.
What is your commitment level?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
There’s a form to help you which can be accessed via the website.
Personal support system
Job hunting can be one of the most challenging activities of our lives. We are likely to experience rejection not only once, but again and again. In a recession, it’s going to be even tougher with nine or more people for every job vacancy, so you need people and things to keep you motivated when you feel like giving up.
It’s imperative to have support and motivation from others. Of course, you’ll want your friends and family on your side, but what will you do if they aren’t supportive and encouraging?
Knowing how to find support in difficult times means we have a plan ready when the need arises, but don’t forget to support yourself from within. Most of your job hunting will be done alone.
Look at the list of supportive system activities below and make a note of those you might turn to when things get tough:
•Hard physical exercise
•Talking with a friend
•Yoga / meditation
•Relaxation exercises
•Treating’ myself (e.g., buying a new shirt or book)
•Talking positively to myself
•Writing out a plan of action
•Writing down my feelings
•Involving myself in a hobby
•Enjoying outdoors and fresh air
•A change of scene
•Listening to music
•Going to the pub / club
•Reading fiction
•Reading a self-help book
•Finding time to reflect
•Work with a counsellor or coach
Make a note of your top three ways of dealing with the negative aspects and frustrations of looking for a job. Then find out more about your options so you can create a plan. For example, where can you learn yoga? Are you able to arrange regular meetings with someone to ‘keep you going’ during a difficult period? This is important because not only will you have positive activities, but a friend as well to help you get through the rough spots.
Create a filing system to manage papers and forms
You will need easy access to a number of documents. An early task will be to find a place
