I’ve been encouraging you to be organised. Being prepared will make things easier. By noting what has worked well, and what hasn’t you will know where to focus for next time.  

Keep a separate file for each job site you use and track the success you have had with each – where has been the best jobs, when potential employers are in touch, from what site has the enquiry originated.  

It may seem like a task you can do without, but it will help you to understand The job sites which are most effective for you and those which are a waste of your time.  Which sites promote interest and which result in unanswered emails? This will result in you being more effective in the future.  

Can I help you? Please do let me know how you are getting on.

21^st September  I collected national paper to scan for any jobs.  Put a cross through those that were clearly unsuitable and used my highlighter to ring any that would be of interest. 

Visit to library to read Financial Times to keep up on industry changes. Chatted to another job hunter and went for a coffee, we swapped cards and will meet in the library next week to pass on any useful information.  Glad I have her email details. 

Saw that XXX services are expanding.  They may have some upcoming vacancies in my area of expertise, noted to follow up. Spent all afternoon on my application form to ABC Ltd, it was a complicated form so I was glad I had photocopied it yesterday so I could use it to create a draft copy. Looked at my circular letter and tweaked it so I could send it to XXX.   I rang first to find out who was going to be the most appropriate person to send it to . Received a phone call from Colin Pemberton (01684 XXXXXX).    He is a friend of Andrew Wilson and said there may be something coming up and he would like to meet.  We have arranged to meet at the Old Swan, Cirencester at 11.45 this Friday.  Forgot to ask for some info on the company but have noted to do an Internet search. 

Made a note to follow up on the 10 circular letters I sent out last week, this will be my first task of the morning.

Job-hunting can be one of the most challenging times of our lives.  We are going to experience rejection, again and again.  This can make us feel downhearted.  So what will help is having people to support us and keep us motivated, but also looking for ways to motivate ourselves.

There are many ways we can feel supported when times get tough.  Some of these involve other people, some we can do alone.  Thinking through how you will get support in difficult times can mean you have a plan ready if you hit this situation.

Who will support you?  You want your partner and family on your side.  What will you do if they aren’t supportive and encouraging?

Using some of these techniques now can help you to build your resilience for the future. 

Which ’supports’, which have helped you cope when you have felt ‘down’ in your life:

• Hard physical exercise
• Talking with a friend
• Yoga / meditation
• Relaxation exercises
• ‘Treating’ myself (e.g. buy a new shirt)
• Talking positively to myself
• Writing out a plan of action
• Writing down my feelings
• Involving myself in a hobby
• An ‘outing’
• Fresh air
• A change of scene
• Listening to music
• Going to the pub / club
• Reading fiction
• Reading a self-help book
• Making a list of things to do
• Finding time on my own to reflect
• Joining a Self-help Group
• E.g. job group, women’s group, to talk to people in same situation
• Counselling
• Open up a nice bottle of wine (but not every night!)

Let me know what works for you.

If you are in full time work, will you complete your job search and applications before or after work? 

Make a note of how many hours you will spend on job search each week.  This needs to be a minimum of 6 hours, and ideally more.  Of course, some people have limited time available, so it is then a choice to make – do I give up on some commitments, or do I take a slower approach to this?

Why not make a note of how many hours you intend to spend on job search activities on each day of the week.

Make a note of how you will divide this time up – would you prefer to do 1 hour a day, or to concentrate your time in to, perhaps, 3 periods.  Remember, you will be making phone calls as part of this process so you need to have some time available during working hours.  

Make a note of your commitment level for working on job search each day. Realistically, if your commitment level is low you probably won’t go ahead. Look at the commitment level.  If it is low for the weekend, can you fit in the hours in the week?

Stuck, unsure how to proceed, do get in touch so we can talk about how I can help, Denise x

“When you look to a date in the future, remember: if you had started today, you would already have achieved success”   Denise Taylor 

Many experts will tell you that looking for a job is a full time job.  Indeed, if you are not in work at the moment you can devote many hours to this process.  If you are in a full time job at the moment you are going to want to plan your time carefully so you have the time and energy to devote to this task.

Can you give up any activity such as watching as much TV?  How can you find say 2 hours a day to spend on the job search process?  The job search needs to be a high priority, and having a routine can help with this.

If you begin any task in a half-hearted way, you are unlikely to succeed.  What will happen is that you will stumble at the first sign of difficulty and the decision to get the job of your dreams will just fade away.

Think about your level of commitment. Make a note of how committed you are to this job search:

1        2        3        4        5        6        7        8        9        10 _______________________________________________________

If something else is going to take priority. How will you achieve your job search goals? Think about your level of commitment. If it is below 7, you are just playing with this.  Sorry to be blunt, but if your commitment isn’t high, there will always be excuses and reasons why you don’t get started.

If you have too many other commitments, what can you give up to allow you time for job search?

You have got to be organised, so find a place to work, create some means of dealing with all the paperwork and make sure you have the time to work on your job search.

1: Create a work space

Choose a space at home where you can work without interruptions.  Do you have a specific room you can use?  Do you have a desk that is in a quiet location?  If you have to use the family dining table do you have somewhere you can safely keep your letters, materials, files etc?

2: Create a filing system

This will contain 

Master copies of your CVs: You will learn that you will need different versions of your CV.  Keep a master copy of each one so they can be reviewed for future applications.  You may also need to have it handy to respond to telephone calls.

Certificates, Letters of recognition etc: You may need to let a future employer see sight of your certificates and diplomas. You may also want to show letters of recognition from customers, so get them all ready now.

Applications and covering letters: Each time you apply for a job keep all the information together – the advert, additional information, copy of application form, CV version etc.  Have some plastic wallets ready.

Speculative approaches to organisations, consultancies and agencies: Details of company information, letter sent, next steps to take.

Diary or personal organiser: To keep track of your appointments

Stationery: Not photocopying paper but good quality 100gms paper and matching envelopes.

To do list: So you are clear on daily and weekly tasks.

Contacts: With details of who you contacted and any follow up action.

Todays task: Find a place where you will work and get some storage ready so you have easy access to all your paperwork.

Taken from the eBook: Get a System, Be organised for Job Search  £6.50, more details at: http://www.amazingpeople.co.uk/ebooks.htm#get%20a%20system