Whether you have recently been on the job market or have not searched for a job in a number of years, you know that searching for a job is not easy!  Long gone are the days of just searching through the want ads of your local newspaper and sending out your resume on good card stock paper.  Today there are a variety of methods that need to be incorporated into our job searching tactics – networking, online applications, job boards, recruiters, and staffing agencies -just to name a few. And, without structure, dedication, and focus, you could be setting yourself up for endless disappointment.  Don’t let that happen to you!

Here are 3 Tips that will increase your chance for success.

1. Treat finding a job as if it were a full-time job – because it is. If you had a job, you would report to work at a scheduled time, set aside some time for lunch (or work through it), and end your day around the same time each day. You would work your scheduled number of days each week as expected. And, you would work hard to accomplish your daily activities and goals because doing well in your career depended on it.

When you are searching for a job, you should follow the same type of schedule because your success depends upon it. Treating your job search like a part-time hobby guarantees that it will take longer. So beginning tomorrow, report to “work” and spend the day on tasks that lead to a job.

2.  Approach finding a job as if it were a project.  This entails setting goals for yourself, making plans, and monitoring your progress.  Apply all of the tools and skills that you used in your last job to the project of finding your next job opportunity.  This includes managing your time, ensuring you have appropriate resources, resolving problems, making decisions, and followup – just to name a few.  Also be aware of any opportunities that you can take advantage of in addition to addressing any barriers that may be challenging for you.

3. Be your own boss.  Many individuals want to be their own boss.  Well, here is the perfect opportunity.  Set expectations for what you need to accomplish, provide yourself direction, and monitor your work.

Commit to meeting with yourself once each week to evaluate your performance. First, candidly evaluate what you accomplished during the previous week. Next, incorporate a description of your plans for the upcoming week. Your plans should include your goals, actions, and priorities. Consider the results that your efforts produced and compare the results with what you wanted to accomplish.

Next, map out a realistic plan for the next week based on achievable goals. For example, you could set goals for the number of people you will call, the number of networking events you will attend, and market research you will conduct.

In the coming weeks, continue to compare the results that you obtained during the previous weeks with the goals you set. For example, if you planned to attend five networking meetings and you attended only two, you should a) explain why this happened and b) plan actions that will correct such a difference.  Analyze why you missed your goal because this provides insights on what you need to do differently. For example, your goal (e.g., of attending five networking events) may have been set too high. Or, perhaps there are ways you can make it easier to achieve your job search goals.

REMEMBER: Finding a job is a full time job. Work through it with a focused plan and the support of a good boss (you).

– Wishing you continued success!