The importance of having a routine (even as a job seeker)

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Having a routine is important for so many reasons. A routine can support your mental health. It can help you deal with change. It can also help you create better habits and reduce day to day stress.

I find that it’s helpful to think of your routine like blocks of time with specific purposes. Almost like an hour by hour calendar made just for you and your day. The more your practice sticking to your routine, the more it will become second nature. You’ll start thinking in time blocks and be aware of what needs to come next.

Routine is not for everyone.

But if you’re struggling to stay motivated and don’t know what’s missing… a new routine might be just what you need.

Having a routine to manage stress

Without a routine, it’s likely that you’re always caught out trying to remember what you need to do next. You have no list of priorities. No way of streamlining your to-dos.

Having a daily routine allows your tasks to slot into their place without being forgotten.

A routine can manage the stress of students, job seekers, parents, and working professionals. It allows you to prioritise your tasks and set time aside for everything that’s important to your success.

Supporting mental health

Routines are great for managing your mental health, too. This is because, without one, you’re more likely to put things aside and procrastinate. Falling into this trap, especially as a job seeker, is a quick route to feelings of hopelessness and lack of progress.

When we organise our day and feel more in control of what’s coming up next, we’re less likely to get distracted and fall behind. It also provides us with a tool to actively work towards our goals and reach peak productivity.

Having a job seeker routine

As a job seeker, having a routine can be the difference between getting an interview and having your resume go unread for weeks.

Setting up a daily routine which you can continue to repeat until you land the right job is key.

The specifics will look different for everyone, depending on your goals, industry, and experience.

BUT

Below are a few ideas to include your daily job seeker routine…

  • Find and apply for a set number of jobs per day, whatever feels realistic for you
  • Work on improving, updating, and perfecting resume
  • Write individualised cover letters based on job advertisements you’ve found
  • Spend some time on LinkedIn to increase your visibility and networking options
  • Develop some of your existing skills or learn new ones through some free videos or online resources
  • Write to companies you know are hiring our you’d like to work for and sell yourself to them
  • Prepare and practice some answers for standard interview questions

Once you’ve come up with your list, allocate a certain amount of time for each job and set to work creating an itemised plan for the day.

Creating a routine will strengthen your determination, mental capacity, and productivity.

What else should I include in my routine?

In any routine, it’s important to actually schedule time in for yourself too.

Whether it’s a walk, a stretch, yoga class, time with your kids, or playing with your dog. Physically allocating a block of time to a self-care activity each day will not only make you accountable to do it…

But also remind you that there is often more to life than what you are stressing about right now.

What next?

If you think your life could benefit from some routine and structure…

Career coaching might be exactly what you’re after. Book in for a free chat today to find out more.

Managing mental health during a job search

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Losing your job at any stage of your life is a stressful, upsetting experience. Whether it’s due to the current health crisis, or to a range of other potential factors, there are many things you can do to protect your mental wellbeing.

Before we get into it, it’s important to note that I am not claiming to be a mental health expert. But I am using my many years of experience in recruitment and career consulting to provide you with practical management strategies.

Time for a check-in

If you are not someone who is ordinarily in touch with the state of their mental health… there’s no better time to start than now.

Even if you are aware and protective of your mental wellbeing, this is still a useful exercise.

Let’s start by checking in with ourselves.

Take a moment to sit with your feelings. You might feel angry, scared, or maybe a little lost. Let yourself really listen to these emotions for as long as it takes.

The first important step is to recognise that this is ok. No one expects you to be fine with this. And fighting these feelings will often make the situation much more overwhelming.

Once these negative feelings have settled, let’s turn our attention to making a list.

Yep, get a pen and piece of paper, we’re all going to do this. This list can be just about work, just about your personal life, or a healthy mixture of both. Don’t worry about feeling silly – this list is for your eyes only!

3 things you’re grateful for…

These could be your health, your family, your pets, or maybe even the fresh food you’ve got in the fridge or the phone call you just had with a friend.

Focusing on gratitude (even on an everyday scale, but especially now) is such a great way to shift negative tension.

2 goals you have…

So these might be obvious goals like finding another job or getting back some of your income. Maybe it’s even just to have a more positive attitude.

Remember that what you put out into the world is what you will get back.

1 thing you’re looking forward to…

Ok so again, this could be “I’m really looking forward to that job interview I’m going to get” or even “I’m looking forward to my afternoon walk in the fresh air.”

This little strategy is really helpful for pulling you out of a slump and moving your attention to something positive to come.

And don’t get hung up on it!

Sounds SO MUCH EASIER than it really is.

Focusing all of your energy and attention on how you don’t have a job, how you can’t get an interview, or how no one is calling you back is going to take its toll.

YES, you need to put in the effort.

YES, you need to take the right steps (which we can help you with).

YES, finding a job is VERY important!

BUT, so is your mental health and wellbeing. So many times I have had clients come to me in a poor mental state which has affected their confidence.

We’re here to help!

If you’re struggling right now, please know that you are not alone. There are so many people and organisations out there that can help.

We are here to help you with your job applications, resumes, and interview tips.

Book in for a free 20-minute chat to find out more and get started on your next career journey.

Kate.

Is job-hopping affecting your job application? Plus, what you can do about it…

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Job-hopping is a very common career trait among my clients. Some potential employers see this is as a red flag when assessing your resume, so it is important that we understand why this happens. This is something that we can help you with. More often than not, the reason behind your job-hopping is to do with internal patterns you subconsciously create for yourself. Read on to find out how to identify these patterns, and what you can do to improve your chances of landing that dream job…

First, what is job-hopping?

Job-hopping occurs when you only stay in a job for a short amount of time. If you find yourself jumping from one job to the next and you are always on the hunt for the next opportunity… chances are, you are a job-hopper.

Some common traits of job-hoppers are:

  • a very ‘full’ resume
  • surface-level experience
  • lacking clarity in career goals
  • a constant feeling of being unsettled at work

So, how could job-hopping affect your application?

It is true that some job-hopping cannot be helped. We may find ourselves in a situation that we aren’t expecting, or maybe we are promised the world in an interview and soon find that the wool has been pulled over our eyes.

However it happens, a history of job-hopping is generally an undesirable trait on a resume. Employers like to dream up their own stories and make assumptions about why you can’t ‘hold down a job.’

On top of this, being a job-hopper can also affect your ability to enjoy your work. How? Well, if you are unclear about your career goals and have a history of short stays, there’s a strong chance that you are constantly looking for reasons to jump ship. Not only that, but you are more likely to continue to find yourself in similar roles.

What can you do to stop this?

It’s time to take a look from the outside in…

  1. What is your pattern? If you can begin to identify the WHY behind your job-hopping, you can take steps to fix it. Are you going for the wrong industry? The wrong type of management? Big businesses instead of small?
  2. What is it that you REALLY want? A supportive boss? A friendly team environment? The autonomy to make the role your own? Find that intention and go for it.
  3. Ask questions. Once you’ve identified your pattern and objective, you MUST ask the right questions in your next interview. For example, “what is the management style at Company XYZ?” If you are able to find out what an ordinary day may look like in your new role BEFORE you accept it, you will give yourself time to evaluate the position. Is this the right fit?

Next career steps…

So, do you think you’re a job-hopper? If you’re concerned about it affecting your applications… take a moment to assess your patterns and identify what it is that you really want in your next role. What will keep you there for years to come?

And if you’re unsure of how you’ll answer an interviewer’s questions, or you don’t know how to appropriately word your job-hopping past on your resume…

Jump on a free 20-minute CareerCall with one of our experts. We can help you move forward in your career, assist you in developing stronger job searching techniques, and stop your job-hopping patterns in their tracks!

CLICK HERE!

Kate.