Spring is here! For most of the nation, it’s especially welcome this year after a brutally hard winter. And for the global economy, it’s a breath of fresh air as businesses are on the rebound from the recent recession.
If you’re a job seeker, it’s a good time to refresh, regroup and reorganize. Companies are hiring again and this is an ideal opportunity to introduce your own new “spring line!”
Make a New Schedule
If you live in an area where you reset your clocks to “spring ahead,” you may feel the significance of the reinvigorated scheduling of time and activities that often accompanies the March and April time frame. If you’re job hunting, use these longer days to revise your time schedule when it comes to your search strategy.
- Dedicate blocks of time to searching message and job boards, updating your social media profile, networking, and revising your resume. Go back to basics and give your search the time and attention it deserves.
- Assess your time management. Guard your time carefully. If you’ve been out of work for a while, especially during the depths of winter, you may have allowed your schedule to slack. Remember, your number-one priority is your job search. As the seasons change, this is a good time to remind others of that fact, too, before they start to call upon you to help with unrelated tasks and errands.
Refresh Your Network
Take a fresh look at your lists of contacts and put some spring into your networking initiatives.
- Attend more meetings and events. Take a step – or more – outside your comfort zone. Make good use of your professional associations and other groups to reconnect with colleagues and meet new ones.
- Get out there in the community. Take a course or volunteer with an organization where you can use your capabilities and expertise. Become a docent at a museum, teach an adult education course or offer to edit your church newsletter. This will keep your skills fresh, as well as offer possible networking opportunities.
Refresh Yourself
It’s time for a self-evaluation. Which strengths and skills do you passionately want to act upon? What kind of people, culture and work environment would meet your ideals? Answering these questions will help you redefine your search strategy – and people will be in a better position to help you if you know what to ask them for.
- Update your personal marketing campaign. Your resume is your primary tool, so tweak or rewrite it if you’re not getting the desired response. In addition, make sure your social media messages are professional and consistent across all platforms. For instance, your LinkedIn profile should be rich in keywords and you should be actively participating in industry groups and building connections. Consider a blog and/or digital media to display your work and experience.
- Find balance and have fun. Truly spring clean by letting go of any lingering anger or bitterness you may have regarding your previous – or current – job. Come to terms with those feelings and let them go. Make it a point to socialize and have fun. It will keep your spirits up. And you never know where or when a job lead may arise!
Partnering with a career coach can open the door to myriad ideas and directions as you take your career to the next level. To learn more, contact the team at Alternative Staffing today.