One of the most frustrating things about searching for a job is the feeling of not doing anything. You are posting your resume, looking for a job, networking, interviewing but at the end of the day you can still feel like you have not done anything. You know you have, but you feel as though you have nothing to show for your efforts. It can be maddening and for those not in your position, difficult to understand. You can get to the point where you lose a sense of the value of your time.

I am a list maker. My home, office and even car have lists everywhere, in notebooks or on post-it notes – I have lists. I found long ago being able to write something down then to mark it off as completed is very rewarding. It gave me a sense of accomplishment. I even use it for cleaning the house. I make a list of things I want to get done and can mark them off along the way. No, I rarely complete the full list, but instead of kicking myself for not getting the entire house done as I wanted and wondering what happened to the entire day, I can congratulate myself on the things I did get done. It’s psychological, I know, but it works for me.

I created a spreadsheet for my clients to help them keep track of their time in their job search. Just a simple tool that really helps you appreciate everything that you are putting into your job search. Because it is a job to search for a job! Your time is valuable and being able to track it can help you recognize this. Make this as detailed or as simple as you want, it is for you. Keep track of the time you spend online looking for a job, of your networking events and even conversations. These are all bits of your time that are valuable. Keep a list of who you sent a resume to, when and what type of follow-up you did and any response you received. In your spreadsheet create a link to the company webpage. These are all valuable efforts.

At the end of the week when you are frustrated and feel like the week went by without any results, pull up your timesheet and spreadsheet and you will see how much effort you truly put into your job search. And congratulate yourself, it was a job well done. These efforts will pay off. When you land that next opportunity you will truly appreciate all the work you put in to get to that next level!

Lisa K McDonald

Career Polish