Job Search: Got Too Much Time on Your Hands
Rachel Sykes | I Work with Stressed Out Professional Women | Licensed in Massachusetts
Rachel C. Sykes, LMHC, LLC
Rachel@rachelcsykes.com
rachelcsykes.com
O.M.G.
Just get laid off? Company shut down? Been at home taking care of family and want to re-enter the world of paid employment? Find yourself with too much time on your hands? Most people I know have found themselves without a job, sometimes quite unexpectedly. It can be a shock to your sense of identity and the resulting experience actually creates obstacles to moving forward. Well-intentioned friends and colleagues often offer positive encouragement and claim that you are lucky to have so much time to focus on finding your next step forward. However, it is pretty common for people to get so bogged down in the negatives that they have trouble kicking off a thoughtful job search.
It can be hard.
Losing your job can often threaten your sense of financial security for obvious reasons. However, sometimes people are more shaken by the unexpected nature of the job loss and see it as a negative reflection on them and their skill. It is pretty normal to experience loss, confusion, anger, sadness (etc., you get it), as you might with any bad news. If possible, allow yourself some time to acknowledge your feelings and work through your related thoughts. It may be helpful to talk to some trusted friends, maybe some who have been through job loss themselves--there are a lot of us out there!
Feel It
Photo by Ilya Shishikhin on Unsplash
Develop your story.
As you prepare to kick off your job search outreach, prepare your story. Chances are good that you will be asked to directly explain your circumstances and why you are looking for a new position. Be truthful. And positive. While being laid off or otherwise falling victim to a corporate restructuring is pretty common these days, telling your story in a knowledgeable way will reflect you in a good light. For example:
“My group’s short-term performance was below expectations and, since our fees are performance-based, our revenue contracted. As a result, our team was cut by 50%, and, as the newest person on the team, I was let go. While I was disappointed to get this news, I can understand why it happened. I did really enjoy my time working with the team, and felt that I learned a lot about [blah blah blah]. I also made some great friends there and they have been really helpful in helping me think through my next steps.”
Create Structure.
For many people, one of the biggest challenges is shifting from a tight, highly scheduled work week to a nebulous, open schedule with no clearly defined limits. There may be some people who thrive in the lack of structure but I have seen many people struggle to keep their head above water. Especially those inclined to be anxious or worried. Create your own structure—consider using a calendar (Google calendar is my favorite) to block off your time, including your non job-search obligations.
Set a job search schedule.
Not 40 hours a week, if possible. While some people’s first reaction might be to turn a job search into a full-time job, try to decide if that will work for you. My observation is that, for many people, they get overwhelmed and are less productive if they try to spend, for example, eight hours a day developing job leads and networking. If that sounds like you, consider that you might be more effective if you can remain focused. What if you instead targeted 20 hours of job search activities per week? That leaves you with more flexibility to achieve other goals or perhaps to contribute to your household in other ways.
Set small goals.
After you have set a high-level schedule, set specific and achievable goals. For example:
2 networking appointments per week
5 phone calls/LinkedIn messages each work day
Respond to all outreach in a given week
Weekends off
Are these the right goals for you-I don’t know. These are examples. However, they may be useful benchmarks to consider as you create your own plan.
If some of your identified goals make you miserable, find a way to reward yourself after you achieve them. So, if you dread calling (yes, with a phone) prospective hiring managers but think it is critical to your career search, book that as the first item on your calendar for the day. After finishing up your calls, take your favorite yoga class or meet a friend for coffee (or whatever). Feel good about crossing that task off the list for the day/week!
Exercise.
It can be beneficial to go to the gym or take a walk each morning. Not only does it give you a specific time and place to be, the exercise itself can help to keep your head clear from negative and counter-productive thinking for many people. Perhaps another benefit of scheduling regular exercise into your day could be that you may have time to achieve a fitness goal. I am not a huge fan of setting specific weight loss goals, however I AM a fan of increasing the amount of time doing weight-bearing exercise, or reducing your time walking the track at the nearby school.
Organize social stuff.
Even if you are stressed, schedule in some fun activities. Make plans with friends and family. If your unemployed status changes your budget, don’t feel obliged to commit to events that feel too extravagant. You may be pleasantly surprised at how much enjoyment can be had just watching a movie, having an at-home meal, taking a walk or playing some basketball. You may be able to use this time to strengthen your friendships with others, which is time well-spent.
NETWORK.
If you are new to the job search game, networking can be the hardest task to gain comfort with. Reaching out to friends, acquaintances and even strangers to ask for their time can be uncomfortable. However, that is how most people-especially those looking for senior roles—find their next opportunity. Will some people ignore your outreach -yep, probably. I say expect some percentage of people to completely ignore your request. You can follow up a second time or instead chalk it up to experience. Who knows what’s going on in their lives right now? Their failure to respond may have little to do with you.
NETWORKING
Photo by HIVAN ARVIZU @soyhivan on Unsplash; https://unsplash.com/@soyhivan
When you do make a good contact and they agree to meet you in-person or virtually, ask their opinions, request additional contacts, and ask for feedback on your career objectives. Maybe there is a specific position under discussion or maybe your conversation is more informational. Both are good. If your contact offers to connect you with others, take that as a huge compliment and then follow through.
Track your applications/contacts /to-dos
Those that know me will not be surprised to know that I track things like this in amazing excel spreadsheets. Do I put a little more attention into designing a sophisticated, automated worksheet than is strictly necessary? Yes. Any simple tracking system works well as long as you follow through. Keep on top of the follow up items you have identified. If you have formally applied for a position, follow up in a reasonable timeframe and in a professional manner.
Listen to advice, then do what seems right for you.
It’s important to listen to the advice of your networking partners as well as prospective hiring managers and firms. Give their words some real thought. Then consider what might apply to you. I believe that if you ask 20 people for their feedback on your resume, you’ll get 20 completely different responses. If the person who gives you this resume advice, for example, is involved in the hiring, consider their words strongly. However, make sure it’s truthful and is something with which you feel comfortable.
It can take time to land yourself a new position-try to be patient with yourself and do whatever works best for you if you feel stressed. Good luck with your search!
Contact me.
Questions? Check out my website, request an appointment or call/email to ask for a free 15-minute consultation.
email: Rachel@rachelcsykes.com
phone: 617.804.6471
* I am licensed to work in Massachusetts.