Job search: It’s a full-time job

Jerisia Lamons

Without a workplace to report to or a job task to complete, it can be all too easy to sink into one of unemployment’s pitfalls. Sleeping until noon, letting hours slip away in front of a television and promising yourself every Friday evening that next week will be more productive.

While you may be unemployed, a proper job search should feel like a full-time job. The thing is: you are your own manager. And like any manager, you must assign tasks, set goals and evaluate your progress.

One of the most important steps in managing your job search is setting a schedule. At the start of each week, determine what you’re going to accomplish each day and stick to it. You might refresh your resume on Monday, spend Tuesday researching job postings and the companies that are hiring and spend Wednesday submitting resumes, cover letters and applications. On Thursday, you might follow up on the applications and resumes you sent the previous week. Track your applications, phone calls and visits so you can stay organized and easily measure your progress. Still, remember to set aside time to spend with your family and friends. A job search can be a frustrating thing, and time with the people who support you will keep you confident and focused.

Is working from home right for you? You have to be honest with yourself. Sure, it might seem perfectly sensible to conduct a job search from the privacy of your own home. But the housework, the yard work, that unfinished DIY project and even the pets and neighbors will be calling. Sometimes, being in a less distracting environment can keep you on track. The Kentucky Career Center – Lincoln Trail offers job seekers free use of computers. The public library or even an Internet café are options, too.

Keep networking. No matter the length of your unemployment, don’t let your connections fade. Take time to preserve your relationships from previous jobs and to meet new people. Tell everyone you know that you are looking for your next opportunity and talk to them about your career interests and skills.

All along, do your best to put your time into activities that pay off – what helps you market yourself to employers.

The Kentucky Career Center – Lincoln Trail offers free services to job seekers including career counseling, job leads, labor market information, workshops and much more. Get more information about our job seeker services here or give us a call at (270) 766-5115.

Jerisia Lamons is Client Services Manager at Kentucky Career Center-Lincoln Trail in Elizabethtown. She can be reached at
(270) 766-5115 or Jerisia.Lamons@ky.gov.