Looking for a new job can certainly take its toll.

Searching for suitable roles, cold calling and writing endless cover letters can become disheartening, especially if you’re receiving knock backs or radio silence from prospective employers.  
 
So how can you stay motivated?

It’s important to remember that with so many factors at play when you apply for a job, a rejection is not necessarily a reflection of your abilities (or lack thereof). Here are 5  ways to keep a positive outlook while looking for employment.
 
1. Get your career goals down on paper

Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time? It’s the cringe worthy question, but when the chips are down, this is exactly the right time to be asking yourself this question. Take the time to make a list of your dreams, goals and aspirations, and putting them down on paper will help motivate you to visualise how you can make this happen. 
 
2. Routine, routine, routine

If you’re unemployed and looking for work, setting yourself a daily routine is crucial.  Set yourself some goals and tasks which will give you a sense of achievement. Set your alarm and make sure you get out of bed at a regular time each morning. Get dressed for the day, leave the pyjamas and the slippers purely for bedtime. 
 
3. Join job search groups

The online community is a great way to find out where the work is and how to get it. It’s also a chance to chat to like-minded people and realise you’re not the only person who may be struggling. Professional networking sites such as LinkedIn will match your listed skills to available jobs and make related suggestions – and that will save you time. By joining specific groups, you’ll also be visible to recruiters looking for someone with your skill set.
 
4. Take time out

The routine can be relentless; the searches, the interviews, the feedback, so it’s important to take some time out to re-charge the batteries. You don’t have to blow the budget to treat yourself, coffee with a friend, a walk in the park, all go some way to relieving the stress and bolster back your energy levels.
 
5. Stay active online

Job hunting can be as much about timing as anything. A really good way to keep your opportunities open is stay active online, especially in tools like LinkedIn. Each activity you do on LinkedIn, from liking and sharing content, to publishing blogs, running searches and messaging people in your network, tells the LinkedIn algorithms that you are active. This means you are more likely to get noticed by appearing in search results when employers and recruiters are searching for people with a job title or a skillset like yours. It also helps you break up the search and application tasks which can feel a bit mundane after a while.

If you’re still looking for that next exciting opportunity, check out the latest jobs from Morgan Philips!