We know you’re busy. So is everyone else.
➔ No doubt that your job search is dominating your time. No doubt that you wish you could have landed that next job yesterday. No doubt that with every passing day you’re feeling more and more frustrated.
You’re not alone. What you’re feeling is precisely what all job seekers feel. What is especially frustrating is the feeling that you’re putting in all this time and effort, and yet your sense is that you’re not making any progress.
The old hamster on the wheel
Don’t fret. That’s normal too. Many of us have become accustomed to achieving immediate (relatively speaking) results. It all adds to the frustration.
Our friends at McKinsey & Company recently published some guidelines for people starting new job which we feel can just as easily be applied to someone in a job search. Read on:
(Try the) 3×3×3 approach. If you’re new to… your job search, or not… there’s a lot thrown at you at once. Supercharge your (process) with this approach:
A defined number of immediate goals—what new things are you trying to conquer? (How many target companies are on your “hit” list?)
A defined group to support you—who can you go to with questions and to clock your progress? (Spouse, former co-workers, colleagues, friends, vendors, etc.)
A defined time period—as in “by the end of the third month” instead of “whenever it happens.” (By the end of this month I will have gone on four interviews and have made direct contact with 15-20 potential employers.)
Many experts believe that by breaking down what seems to be an enormous project into smaller, more manageable, short-term goals, you’ll get a greater sense of accomplishment and save a lot of wear and tear on your emotional health.