Setting Goals and Creating a Schedule

A job search requires a sustained effort so it’s important to set aside an adequate amount of time and create a schedule.

Having a regular schedule can help improve your productivity by allocating time across the different things you have to do, which may vary as you progress further in your job search.

Schedule at least 2-4 hours each day for job search activities, depending on how much time you have available. Whether it is 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. or 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., what’s important is that you are committing a consistent effort to finding a new job. This also helps relieve the feeling of having the job search constantly on your mind.

It’s also important to set some goals to keep you motivated and make sure that you are applying a consistent amount of activity to your job search. Set goals for each week for the following:

• Number of applications to submit
• Number of career events or job fairs to attend
• Number of existing contacts you will reach out to
• Number of new contacts to network with

The primary reasons job searches fail are lack of focus and lack of effort. Setting goals will help you tackle both at the same time.