By now, you probably know that searching for a job takes a lot of time. But, it also takes a lot of focus. After a couple hours of job searching – of clicking through to the very last page of job listings; of writing and re-writing cover letter after cover letter – you’ll likely to be tempted to switch gears and check your Facebook, read the news or scroll Instagram. But those minutes of wasted time add up, and after a couple of weeks, they can seriously cut into your job search productivity.
6 Super Simple Ways to Maximize Your Job Search Productivity
1. Create a job search plan. Don’t just job search whenever, wherever. Analyze your weekly schedule and find windows of time for job searching, then block out that time and stick to your schedule. If you’re super busy, know that you may need to be creative about finding time to look for a job. Perhaps you can sneak in an hour before breakfast, after dinner or on the weekends.
It can also be helpful to break down the job search process into different categories: for example, maybe on Monday you look for jobs for two hours; on Wednesday, you draft and review your materials and submit your applications; and you use Fridays for follow-ups.