Getting the most from your career search when times are tough

It can feel miserable when times are tough in your career. You may be looking for a new job or a career change or perhaps you are returning to work after a break. Whatever the reason for your job search, it can be tough looking for the right job for you, especially if you are struggling to know what you want to do. Your career search can feel endless and cause frustration and stress.

When times are tough, the best thing to do is to take a step back from your search and go back to basics. This means pouring yourself a cup of tea and taking time to think about what changes you can make to feel motivated again and get the most from your career search.

You may be thinking this is easier said than done but please believe me when I say going back to basics and getting the most from your career search is as easy as making this cup of tea for yourself, let me show you how…

Locate the tea bags

If you are someone who enjoys different types of tea, choosing a type of tea is a simple process. Each type of tea bag will be organised and stored in its correctly labelled box so that you can retrieve the desired type quickly and easily, and know when any of the tea is running out. Making a cup of tea would become a complex mission if all the different tea bags remained unlabelled and mixed together!

Being organised will also simplify your career search. Keep a record of all the information you gain and applications you make. File them in order and within relevant categories so that you can keep track of your progress and access everything quickly and easily when required. You never know when something you did six months ago may be of relevance to a job interview today.

Use boiling water responsibly

Apparently, the optimum water temperature for black tea is 96 degrees Celsius. We all know that it would hurt if you spilt water at this temperature onto yourself and so, when making a cup of tea, you will take responsibility for pouring the hot water by taking control to prevent it from spilling or splashing onto you or anyone else. If you leave the responsibility to someone else, you may get burnt.

As you progress with your career search, the choices you make are your responsibility. If you want other people to make your decisions for you, you are at risk of a decision being made that does not make you happy and is out of your control. Being in control of your decisions will give you even better results. You know yourself the best and, by taking control, you can keep making decisions regarding your career until you reach the right one for you.

Give yourself brewing time

All cups of tea have an optimum brewing time; some need longer than others. A satisfactory result does not come from a rushed cup of tea. Be patient and ensure you brew your tea for long enough to give you the best chance of having a cup of tea that tastes and feels good.

Finding the right job for you will take time. Taking short cuts may leave you in a job you don’t enjoy. Ensure you allocate adequate time each week for your career search and manage your time effectively to enable you to move forward efficiently. This will enable you to give your career the focus it requires.

Sit back and relax

The best cuppa's are those that you can enjoy slowly in a space you feel calm and comfortable. They leave you feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the next part of the day.

Find a suitable place to think and work where you feel relaxed. Being calm will help progress your thoughts about which careers would best suit you. Whilst having a break, use the time to start making an action plan setting out each step of your career search so that when you finish your cup of tea you know what you are going to do next, have identified who you are going to seek help from and worked out the best plan to help you move forward in your search.

Preparation for your job search is key to getting good results. Enjoy your cuppa and give your career search the best chance of success by giving yourself time, structure and responsibility.