Daily Job Duties For A Job Seeker

This week I have met with several frustrated job seekers.   In my effort to diagnose what is going wrong in their job search, I asked them to walk me through what they have done on a daily basis to get a job.  On each occasion, it was very little. As a whole, their daily tasks consisted of searching for positions online and putting in a few applications here or there. They all were spending less than 5 hours a week on their search. My response…When you don’t have a job, your job is finding a job. This means five days a week for 8 hours a day! Their response – what do I do with all that time? Just let me count the ways…

First, you should get up and get dressed! “Respect, confidence and self-empowerment can all start with your diligence to apparel,” (Lindsey Shore, Fashion Stylist quoted in Forbes). You have to feel like you are going to work. Lounging in your sweats all day is not very motivating.

Second, consider this a job that you are working from home. Jacquelyn Smith of Forbes magazine has some great recommendations including setting office hours, having a dedicated space to work, and avoiding distractions in the home.

Third, use a calendar to block off time for each job search duty. These duties include:

1. Setting up job search web crawler sites based on keywords to find keywords (i.e. Indeed.com and Simplyhired.com)
2. Set up a job search tracking sheet.
3. Update your job search tracking sheet.
4. Update your LinkedIn profile and learn how to use the Relationship feature.
5. Check emails for new jobs coming in and responses to applications.
6. For the new jobs, customize your résumé and cover letter and apply within 24 hours of receiving the position description.
7. Send emails to contacts for advice in the application process for all current opening you are applying.
8. Follow-up with contacts at the organization(s) that you just applied and let them know that your application has been submitted.
9. Prepare practice interview questions for the job that you submitted the application(s) for that day.
10. Practice interview question you prepared, well before the interview.
11. Schedule interviews promptly.
12. Go to interviews and send immediate thank you letters to each person that interviewed you. This should be done within 24 hours.
13. Email organizations that you have not heard from in the last two weeks to check on your status.
14. Research industry trends that you can use in your interviews. Sign-up for industry newsletters that will help you identify both trends and potential organizations of interest.
15. Create a blog that you can write about industry trends that will set you up as a dedicated professional. Write on at least a weekly basis.
16. Create a target list of organizations of interest. Follow them on LinkedIn and set up a web crawler to follow news.
17. Set up informational interviews with the organizations that currently don’t have openings but you may be interested in for future employment. LinkedIn is a great place to start.
18. Reflect on your day and what you need to do for the next day. There are no vacations or days off in a job search.

Finally, just like in a full-time job, you may need professional development. If you need training in any of the above areas seek help from your developmental network, online training options like Lynda.com, and think about hiring a career coach. You can learn more about job search strategies on Lynda.com.