By: Melanie Johnson
Moving up in your career can often mean searching for a job while you’re already employed full-time. But, as you may well know, job seeking can be exhausting – and that goes double if your only time to do it is between the hours of “After Work” and “Before Bed”.
So instead of burning yourself out by burning the midnight oil, try doing one thing each night to get yourself closer to your goals:
Post an industry article to LinkedIn
One thing people often lose sight of during a job search is that most careers exist within a community. By demonstrating to potential employers that you’re engaged in current events and issues in your field, you can jump to the front of the hiring line. Make sure to take the time to engage with other posters and respond to any comments on your posts – you never know where your next job lead will come from.
Create a mega resume
This is a good project to start if you haven’t already: Create a “master list” of every job and work-related accomplishment since you entered the workforce. This is especially helpful when an application process requires re-entering many of your resume details into little text boxes, but it can also be a boon if you’re trying to create a position-specific resume. Don’t worry about length – this document might be pages long, but no one should see it but you. If you keep it regularly updated, a text file of every position with addresses, contact details, manager names, and dates of employment (to the day, if you can!) can speed up the job search significantly.
Give last night’s cover letter a second read
Generally, you should try to apply as promptly as possible, in case the listing goes away, but if you have time, even 12 hours away from a piece of writing can help you see it with fresh eyes.
Check your social media
Take a moment to see how you look to a stranger. If you’re on Facebook, click the lock icon in the upper-right, and then select “View As” from the dropdown menu. From there, you should be able to see how your profile looks to the public. Scroll all the way through and check every sub-page for details and posts that could be misconstrued by potential employers .
On Twitter, take a stroll down memory lane and scan through the first few pages of posts (at least!) to make sure that you seem professional. If you have time, use the advanced search function to search keywords that could get you into hot water.
Organize your life
Don’t just let those accomplishments disappear into the Internet blackhole. As soon as you’ve applied for any open position, copy-paste the job description, as well as your cover letter and any other important information, into a blank email document and send it to yourself. Not only will you feel more accomplished looking back at all your hard work, but it can remind you of key details about the job, even months after you first applied. You wouldn’t believe how many times this trick saved my tail when interviewers came calling weeks after the initial application went out.
Apply for one job
That’s it. That’s all it takes. Before you crawl into bed tonight, scan through all the listings and force yourself get one cover letter written, one application out the door. Then you can sleep easy, confident in the knowledge that, each day, you’re taking another step toward your future life.