5 Ways To Avoid Frustration During A Long Job Search

Staying positive and motivated are crucial to any successful job search.

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At the start of a job search, you may feel hopeful and excited about what potential opportunities may lie ahead, but many job seekers easily fall into a slump as time passes.

Job searching is no quick process. Calls don't necessarily come after you've submitted your resume. A second round of interviewing may end there. And even when it's between you and one other candidate, the job offer may wind up going to the other person.

Any of these scenarios can reasonably bring an individual down, but here's what you can do to fight through it and keep going with even more empowerment. Stay positive and motivated during the job search by:

Coming Up With Job Search Goals

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Treat your job search as a project with tangible goals. Figure out how many hours per week you will be focusing on the job search and assign the hours to specific tasks with related goals. For example, 10 hours will be spent networking with the goal of connecting with five people per week.

Having weekly tasks and goals keeps you focused!

Not Getting Lazy

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Just because you don't have a job to go to doesn't mean you should lounge around. Aim to make things happen! Treat job searching like your full-time job (but don't spend 40 hours a week on it!). Before getting the day started, freshen yourself up as you would for work and stick to a routine for job searching.

You may start the day with checking email, making phone calls, then applying to jobs by lunch and leaving the afternoon to networking with others and researching for other job opportunities. When you stick to a schedule, you work more efficiently and there's less of a chance for you to get lazy.

Re-examining Your Resume And LinkedIn Profile

Unemployed businessman gives his updated resume a final review.

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If you haven't updated your resume in a while or it's not bringing in results you want, it's time to re-examine it. Same goes with your LinkedIn profile. When you do, you build stronger tools to work with in your job search and you will feel a greater sense of confidence.

Networking With Others

Networking events can be a powerful tool while unemployed and on the job search.

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Job networking has a greater effectiveness rate at helping you find a job than other methods like the job boards and recruiters. It can also help you stay motivated. When you talk to others in the field asking for advice, it can feel like you're getting closer to where you want to be because you have connections with insiders.

Often, your job network can also share with you similar challenges they may have faced and offer insight to how they went about the situation, which in turn helps you reflect and react appropriately.

Doing Something On The Side While Unemployed

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When the job search begins to feel like it's dragging on, look to do something on the side that may help you maintain your skills or help you build new skills that will be helpful at the next job. Whether it's volunteering a few hours a week, taking on temp work, or taking a class, it can help give you a lift or inspiration to stay motivated.

It also gives you something to add to your resume so it doesn't look like you did diddly-squat while unemployed.

Finding a new job takes hard work, and finding a new job that you will love will take extra patience. Utilize these tips to help keep you going. Soon before you know it, the right job offer will come through!

The job search process is tough. Why not give yourself a helping hand?

Join Work It Daily today and have access to one-on-one coaching, numerous tutorials and networking opportunities. We'll help you in every step of the job search process, and then help you grow your career once you land your dream job!

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