6 Useless Job Search Activities

One of the most common questions I get asked as a career coach is, “How long will my job search take?” While there is no correct answer, one common formula career coaches use is the “One Month Per $10K Equation.” For every $10,000 in salary you want to make, you can expect one month of job search. So, if you want to make $60K, plan on a six-month job search, and so on. However, there are several major factors that can skew that number, some of which include:

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• Unemployment rate in your location
• Current economic trends that impact companies’ decisions to hire
• Using outdated or misguided job search techniques

Fact: You Can Only Control One

While there are many factors involved, there is only one you can control: How you approach your job search. Don’t underestimate just how big a role this plays in the time it takes to find work. I can tell you for a fact if you are doing any of the following, you are actually lengthening your job search:

• Scanning job boards daily for openings
• Applying online to everything you are remotely qualified to do
• Re-writing your resume repeatedly
• Re-designing your LinkedIn profile repeatedly
• Going to unemployment or job networking groups
• Attending job fairs

Yes. All of the actions above aren’t helping your search at all. They are a waste of time and take you away from doing the things that will actually get you a job. They are all “tactical” instead of “strategic.” The reality is all good job search activities start with a strong strategy. And the majority of job seekers out there don’t know how to create the right job search strategy to market themselves.

Example: LinkedIn Profiles Are for Recruiters

A great example of applying strategy to job search is with the LinkedIn profile. Most job seekers build their LinkedIn profile without thinking about its intended audience: recruiters. And that leads to hours spent on a LinkedIn profile that never gets looked at. We can help with that! Find out how to generate one of these profiles by watching our FREE webinar called, "5 Things Recruiters Expect on a LinkedIn Profile." WATCH TRAINING NOW ► Here’s what you'll learn:

• Five things recruiters expect to see on your profile - or they won't call you
• How to create a profile in less than 30 minutes that will increase your chance of being called by a recruiter
• Mistakes you are making (and probably don't realize) that are telling a recruiter NOT to contact you
• Proactive measures you can take to get the attention of recruiters in your industry

Don't miss this session on the best way to use LinkedIn to get recruiters contacting you. Image Credit: Shutterstock