Waiting for Job Opportunities: How to Keep Yourself Occupied

With over 500,000 people losing their jobs in the month of November 2008, and over 10 million unemployed in the United States to date, the thought of acquiring a job can almost seem hopeless. But it’s not. Companies are still hiring, jobs are still available, and you can have one – as long as you don’t give up.

But what do you do in the meantime to keep yourself occupied? If you’re not busy while waiting to hear back from prospective employers, you can easily fall into a state of hopelessness – not good. So if you feel yourself getting down about your job search, here are a few strategies to keep you moving …

Don’t Stop Searching

This may sound obvious, but while you’re waiting to hear back from a prospective employer, don’t stop searching for work. This means treating your job search like a full-time job. It may be tempting to say to yourself, “I’ve already submitted my resume to 12 companies. I’ve done enough.” But unless those 12 companies are currently calling you for an interview, you have more work to do.

Luckily, job searches are easier than ever with search tools all over the Internet that provide customizable job-seeking functions. So if you have the Internet at home, your job for now will be to prop yourself in front of the computer and search all day. The more seeking you do, the more opportunities will open up to you.

Market Yourself

Marketing is a strategy that many job seekers don’t consider as a part of their job search strategy – but it works. You may be accustomed to posting your resume on websites like Monster and CareerBuilder, which are both great for marketing. But unless you know certain keywords to strategically place throughout your document, it may be difficult for prospective employers to find you.

This is why it’s good to not only learn proper resume-posting procedures, but also try marketing yourself through websites like Craigslist, as well as signing up for accounts with sites like LinkedIn and Facebook. On Craigslist, you can post a free ad in your city’s “services” section to market the same skills you post on your resume (look at other ads in this section for structuring ideas). And on LinkedIn and Facebook, you can create profiles to list your skills and link up with prospective employers. All of these options can work well to get your name and skills out there. They can not only help you score a temporary or part-time gig to keep money flowing until you get the full-time job offer, they might lead you to the full-time opportunity you’re looking for.

Maintain the Right Attitude

If you become discouraged due to a lack of responses, or begin to feel down that you’re unemployed, it can negatively affect your job search. Just remember, anything can change at a moment’s notice, so stay positive and keep searching. And whatever you do, don’t mentally absorb all of the bad news you hear about the job market. Remember, it does not have to apply to you.

Keeping yourself busy while looking for a job can definitely be a job within itself. But by searching daily, marketing yourself and keeping the right attitude, you will get that anticipated callback in no time.