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a career success coach, leadership consultant, motivational speaker, bestselling author, influential blogger and cancer survivor...
Extensive Human Resources and Career Coaching background...
20 years in the talent acquisition industry
Motivational speaker, career and executive coach, trainer...
A recognized national expert on chronic illness and...
Creative Life and Career Coach
Ellen Rose O. on December 16, 2019
1 Comment
Nicole Franklin, MPH
Dec 23, 2019
Cancer and Careers Staff Comment:
Hi Ellen,
Thanks for writing to us. Job searching can be stressful and exhausting, but it’s great that you’re actively trying to find a position that is better aligned with your current needs. While the process can seem never-ending at times, there are certain strategies that can be adopted to make it less stressful and less time-consuming.
It’s important to map out a daily plan that ensures you are carving out time to delve into your search. Our days can be filled with activities (both expected and unexpected), so having an entire day whiz by without dedicating time to job-hunting can happen easily. Outlining specific times that you’ll spend on it can help you manage your time and stay on track. For example, you might want to take an hour after breakfast every morning (e.g., 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM) to research companies and download their job applications; then spend another hour in the evening completing and submitting them. It’s also important to develop a self-care routine while looking for a new position. Not only can this help with the search itself, but it will be beneficial as you start your new job. Our webinar on Managing Long-Term Stress has some great tips.
There are also a ton of tools and apps that can assist with organization and productivity. Before you start sifting through the plethora of options, take time to figure out what kind of support you need most (reminders, file organization, time tracking, etc.). This will help to identify the ones that will make things easier for you.
The following resources might also be helpful:
It can be difficult to know everything that a job encompasses before you start (including if it will be “draining”) but researching potential employers and thinking about which ones might be a good fit for you is an essential step. Websites such as Glassdoor.com have company reviews that can be very illuminating. It’s also worth exploring companies’ websites and social media feeds to get a feel for the actual organizations themselves. Once you have a sense of where you might like to land in terms of industry and/or company, it’s wise to do some networking to set up informational interviews — or even interviews for specific positions. People often like to start by reaching out to people they already know, but don’t be afraid to connect to people on LinkedIn who are outside of your immediate circle, as most people are willing to help others find their next great opportunity (or at least give them an insider’s view of the company).
The reality is that it’s almost impossible to know when a job search will come to a successful completion. It can take weeks, months and sometimes more than a year to land a job. Having a time frame in mind for when you’ll be transitioning into a new role should serve as motivation, but don’t view it as a hard-and-fast deadline. Finding ways to streamline your efforts by implementing an actionable plan will not only help you to stay productive, it is also the key to a more productive and successful job search!
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at cancerandcareers@cew.org or 646-929-8032.
Kind regards,
Nicole Franklin, MPH
Senior Manager of Programs
Cancer and Careers
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