One of the truly stressful tasks in life is searching for a job. No matter your age, education, and level of experience, there’s no guarantee it will be a smooth and easy process. Boomerswork.com works hard to help alleviate some of that stress by matching professionals with jobs suited to their talents. But finding that ideal job can sometimes take time.
During that lull in between jobs, it’s extremely important that you not fall into a funk and resent the fact that you’re “unemployed”. That can be a troubling word, but it certainly doesn’t mean “inactive”. Fill your time during your job search with worthwhile things that will lift your spirits, strengthen your work ethic, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Here are five ideas of how to spend those extra hours in your day while searching for your next position.
Volunteer your time
Some people are lucky enough to find themselves in a finically secure position even between jobs. For those who are not in such a position, the pressure of finding a paying job is even higher, and any time you spend not actively searching for a paying job seems like a waste of time. However, volunteering your time for free is not only selfless, but help with your job search. Find those organizations that need help, or ones that you’re interested in. It will help you establish a working routine while making great professional contacts and forming positive relationships. Far from a waste of time.
Sharpen your social media skills
We’ve stressed the importance of social media countless times on The Hub, and it becomes an even greater tool when you’re searching for a job. If you are attempting to find employment and do not at least have a LinkedIn page, you are doing yourself a great disservice and cannot truthfully say you put your best effort forward. Many employers hire solely through LinkedIn, and Facebook and Twitter are great ways to keep in touch with professional contacts. Hone your skills and you’ll have another highly useful tool to help in your search.
Stay in shape
In can be hard to stay motivated when you don’t have a regular job to go to. The best way to fight this is to build your own schedule—one that includes some exercise. You’ll have a little extra time on your hands, so use that to stay healthy. Don’t let yourself slide into a routine of inactivity. Get out for daily walks or jogs to keep your energy up. A healthy routine makes for a healthy mind.
Learn
Speaking of healthy minds, you’ll want to give your brain an exercise during this period as well. It’s good to focus on finding a job, but endlessly keeping your mind working on one thing can be pretty torturous. Stay sharp by allowing your mind to grow in other ways. Read, write, or take up some new hobby that will give you the mental exercise you’re missing at work. By remaining sharp, your brain won’t be playing catch up when you jump back into the work life.
Plan for the future
Living between jobs can be a very unpredictable time. Despite the uncertainty of it all, it’s important to look forward and plan ahead. Start by making goals for your job search process. Measuring weekly objectives will keep you on track and keep you motivated. Beyond that, there are a lot of ways to prepare yourself for the future. Audit your finances, determine how much longer you will realistically stay at work, and begin planning for your retirement. When being out of work gives you a sense of aimlessness, making your own plans can help you regain some of that control.
Hopefully these tips will help you if you find yourself in this difficult position. This small bit of advice will not make the situation all better, but it may help to relieve some of the stress and ensure you stay productive. Remember, Boomerswork.com is there to help you find the position that fits goals and allows you to be the professional you’ve proven yourself to be.