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Sometimes, when you’re looking for a job or internship, it can feel like the process is taking longer than you would maybe like it to. What follows is dwindling motivation to keep going and maybe a decline in the number of applications you submit. However, the downside of taking that approach is that by slowing down your job search, it is likely to go on for longer, becoming a vicious cycle. Here are four ways to stay focused when looking for a job.
- Don’t compare yourself to peers.
- As the people around you post and talk about their exciting new employment opportunities, make sure that you are not comparing your career path with theirs. Every industry, company, and role has a different recruitment process. Additionally, the job search of every individual will be dependent on his or her interests and career goals, so do not stress if your approach to job-seeking does not fit the average mold.
- Ask your friends or a mentor for help.
- Whenever morale is low, ask some of your friends for advice or get a mentor to coach you through networking methods. Sometimes it is good to take a break from submitting applications and just talk through it with your friends. It’s also good to have productive conversations with your peers surrounding career development and advice.
- Take a break… kind of.
- Take a break away from what you’ve been doing, whether that is reaching out and networking, applying to jobs or editing your application materials. Focus on something else career-related for a while. For example, if you’ve been applying to jobs on days without end, think about attending an event. That way you can still feel like you are making moves in the right direction without doing the same things that are making you burn out.
- Motivate yourself again.
- Look into industry statistics for the roles you’re interested in and remind yourself of why you want those particular jobs. Maybe talk to a few people that are currently in those positions to reconfirm that this long job search is worth it. This can be one of the best ways to learn more about what you can talk about for role-specific interview questions or assessments and also help you reconnect with your desire to stay focused.
