How much time should I devote to my search?
The short answer to this question is as much time as you can possibly devote. We all know, however, that this won't happen. Realistically, how much time can and should you devote? Your personal situation will certainly have some impact. Do you have personal responsibilities (children, elderly parents, etc.) that require major chunks of your time? You will need to carefully balance the various duties that you must attend to with devoting the time you need to your job search.
Your state of mind is also a huge consideration. Job hunting is wearing, and it's easy to become emotionally exhausted. When you do find yourself mentally spent, you begin spinning your wheels and making little progress. While making a concerted effort, you need to take care of yourself both mentally and physically.
Some career counselors and coaches will tell you that job searching is now your full-time job, and you absolutely must treat it as such. Because job searching can be such a grind, a full 40 hours a week may just be too much for you to tolerate and still remain productive. You will need to decide how much time is realistic and then develop a standard schedule. A standard schedule is critical in order to keep you on track. Perhaps all you can tolerate is six hours per day. Develop a time schedule and stick to it (perhaps 9:00 – 12:00, an hour for lunch, and 1:00 – 4:00). Adhering to those hours each day will ensure that you'll be much more productive than during a longer day that isn't as well defined.
In any case, you should plan to devote a significant amount of time to your search each and every day. Be sure to also build in some time for a trip to the gym or a walk around the block. You will be more productive if you also build in that "down" time.
Finally, give yourself permission to take weekends off. Your family and friends need to see you and get some of your time. Use the weekends to disengage from the stress of the search and actually have some fun!
How will I reward and take care of myself?
Your ultimate goal, of course, is to find the job you want. In a tough economy, this will take substantial time and effort. Your ultimate reward will be that fantastic job that you land.
As with any long-term goal, however, you must have milestones along the way (perhaps as often as weekly). You should build a mini-reward system as you reach those milestones. One job seeker rewarded herself with an inexpensive night out at a neighborhood restaurant. Another gave himself a round of golf at a nearby municipal course. Choose rewards that work for you, but be sure that you actually reach the milestones to earn them.
As we've already established, taking care of yourself, both mentally and physically, is extremely important to deal with the stress of a job search. Your mental and physical well-being are closely related and most people find that physical activity positively impacts their mental attitude. In other words, this is not the time to cancel your gym membership. Be sure to build time into your schedule for some sort of physical activity - even if it is a half-hour walk around the block.
Also be sure to actively seek out opportunities to interact with others socially. Some job seekers retreat into isolation. They may either be embarrassed about their situation or find the search process so exhausting that they shut themselves off from friends and family. Social interaction will help to recharge your batteries and improve your mental outlook. This can only help your job search.
Where will I work on my job search?
You must have an area in your home that is your "space" to conduct your search. If you already have a home office you're in great shape, as that can automatically become your search space. If you don't, however, you need to identify where your search space will be. Perhaps it's a corner in a bedroom or family room, but having the designated space is critical to your success. You and those who live with you know that this is "your" space for now at least.
Once you've identified some suitable space, take the time to set it up properly. Do you have the office supplies that you will need – or is it time for a trip to the office supply store? Is there a computer at your disposal in this space? How are you going to organize the reams of paper that will probably accompany your search? Do you have some file drawers set up and files to organize all of your job search materials? A space that isn't well organized will impede your progress.
Once your space is set up, make sure that everyone you live with understands the "hands off" rule. During your search you may need to quickly find some kind of document. If a well meaning significant other has "helpfully" cleaned or straightened your space, you could lose something important. For anyone who lives with you, the rule must truly be "hands off." You don't want to suffer the fate of one job seeker whose spouse decided to clean up and threw away important job search documents!
What should I tell the people I live with?
It's a good idea to communicate with your significant other and those you live with about your plan for your job search. Many job seekers report that because they are physically around and available more than usual, interruptions make it difficult to focus on what they need to accomplish. You should communicate your weekly timeline and overall strategies so that everyone around you understands them. Also communicate when you will be available so that everyone understands. Making sure that the people around you understand your strategy and availability will make your search a whole lot easier.
A job search can be very stressful to your personal relationship with your spouse or significant other. You should have a conversation with that person early on in your search. They need to be assured that you will be doing everything you can to find your next opportunity. After all, their financial security is probably at stake, which will give them serious concerns. At the same time, you need to help them understand that daily nagging or detailed questioning about your progress won't help you to be productive. Too many relationships are impacted negatively by a job search if this important conversation isn't held up front!
Who will I be accountable to?
The short answer, of course, is that you will be accountable to yourself. Many job seekers, however, find it helpful to enlist a friend or colleague to be their "job search buddy." This doesn't need to be someone who is an expert in the job search process, but it should be someone who you trust to give you honest feedback about your progress. Your buddy shouldn't be someone who is too close to you such as your spouse or significant other. The relationship is too close and that is a very fast way to undermine your relationship.
Once you've identified someone and had them agree to be your job search buddy, set up a regular check-in time with them. It's best to do it weekly and to meet in person. Many job seekers set up a weekly time to talk over a cup of coffee with their buddy. Use the time to review what you have accomplished in the past week and then discuss what you plan for the coming week. Be sure that your buddy is someone who will give you honest feedback and take you to task if you aren't doing what you have committed to do. Although you have accountability to yourself in this process, having a job search buddy gives you accountability to someone else that you will do what you said you would do.
