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Features Column 11 I want a job already!: Staying energized and focused in the job search over the long-haul

Dear Cathy,
I've had it—I've been looking for a job for five months and am still coming up empty. I feel like I'm doing all the right things; I tailor all my resumes and cover letters and still nothing. I've started to think I'm never going to find a job and I'm losing hope—is there anything I can do to regain my faith?
—Beth in Eugene

I can't believe I'm about to use such a hackneyed cliché, but I feel your pain. There's no two ways about it; looking for a job can be hard, especially when you've been at it for a while. I've been there myself: a little over five years ago, I was out of work for almost a year and it was tough. I had just completed an MSW and realized I didn't want to practice social work. Talk about oye vey! I spent a year trying to figure out what I really wanted to do and sending in applications for all kinds of jobs, but nothing worked out and I just couldn't understand it. In retrospect, I realize that what I didn't understand was what I wanted to do and how my skills and experience were connected to that. I finally had a "eureka!" and realized that all my seemingly motley experiences had a thread connecting them. Once I became clear, all of a sudden things started to get much easier and believe it or not, I ended up being offered a job at an organization to which I had never applied.

You may be crystal clear on what you're looking for—indeed it's very possible for the job search to take quite a while even when you have all the clarity in the world, but it's less likely. No matter what the case, the good news is that there are some specific things you can do to help ease the "pain" and regain your faith while you continue your search.

This may seem obvious, but often people put inordinate pressure on themselves to find something quickly. That's understandable because it can be very unnerving to your pocketbook, not to mention your peace of mind, to be without work—especially in a society where so much value is placed on what you do. But even people who are still working often find themselves at the hair-pulling stage after several months. I don't know what kind of position you're looking for, but the truth is that most job searches take at least three months, and many take longer—particularly if you're changing fields or position types. As I've said before, relationship building is at the heart of finding new work and that takes time. Plus, some areas of the sector are more competitive than others, and in general senior positions are harder to find than entry-level type positions.

Reminding yourself that there are some very real and concrete reasons that your search is taking some time may help put things into perspective. In your particular case, I'm betting that Oregon's especially slow economy and over 7 percent unemployment rate are contributing factors. For those days when you feel you've really "had it," I recommend keeping a running list of every single thing you do for your search, dating each task and noting any outcomes. One person I coach calls this her "Search Diary" and at the end of another hard week at the job search "office," she goes through her diary to take stock of all of her efforts and reminds herself that she's doing everything she can to find great work.

While you need to give yourself a break, you also need to regularly refine your search process to make sure your efforts are well spent. It's important to remain open to changing directions if something isn't working. Strategies that might have been helpful at the very beginning of your search might not be as helpful by month five. For example, at the beginning of your search, it can be extremely beneficial to go on lots of informational interviews, but after you've gained clarity on the parameters of the field, position, or organizations you're interested in, your time might be better spent volunteering at a few key nonprofits to get some hands-on experience. Moreover, make sure your search "portfolio" is diversified; you want to be careful not to focus too much of your energy on sending out applications, for example, and too little on networking. Having a concrete document like my client's "Search Diary" can make it much easier to see exactly where you've been spending your time and help you to plan the most effective next steps. Additionally, checking in with people who are currently working in the kind of jobs or field you're interested in or speaking with a career coach or even a friend to let them know what you've been doing and to get some feedback about what you might do more or less of can be quite helpful in keeping your career compass on target.

Being flexible will undoubtedly keep your search dynamic and will likely yield unexpected opportunities. However, we all have our limits and it's important to know yours. For many people, being out of work for three months is economically impossible. For others, staying at a job that's driving them bonkers in Yonkers is mentally impossible. So before you begin your search, try to give yourself some kind of timeline and map out a rough outline of your steps, including how and when you get support during the process. Perhaps you know that you can't afford to be out of work at all or that being out of work will give you a lot of anxiety about your finances. In that case, it could be beneficial to break your search into a couple of phases. Phase one might consist of securing what is sometimes called a "B" job—one that brings home some bacon but doesn't take as much energy as a job where you're head over heals for the position. After you get a "B" job, then you can begin phase two: the more in-depth process of looking for "right" work without having to worry as much about survival issues. The downside of this strategy is that a "B" job is still a job and the job search really is a second job in and of itself so it can take a lot of energy to do both at the same time. Whatever strategy you settle on, the key is to know what is most sustainable for you, even if that means making choices that are less than ideal.

Having people with whom you can share the trials and tribulations as well as the triumphs of your search can make a huge difference, especially if you're not working. Spending all day home alone zapping out applications or doing hours of research can drive the most sane among us crazy! So, let the people you trust know how things are going and whenever possible give them specific ways they can be helpful, even if that occasionally means listening to you have a brief job search whining session. And don't worry, you'll have the opportunity to return the favor later on; nowadays, the average person searches for jobs many times during her lifetime. It also can be helpful to find people who are similarly on the hunt because you'll likely understand one another's challenges and frustrations. Networking organizations like Idealist.org that provide discussion groups and periodic networking events are a particularly good way to connect with other job seekers. You might want to set up a regular meeting time with folks whom you meet, either in person or on the phone to check in and cheer each other on. At the same time, be careful not to join any pity parties where you repeatedly bemoan your jobless status. Those can be major downers and don't move you any closer to finding great work.

I highly recommend developing your own personalized ideal job description. This might include the specific tasks, working environment, area(s) of the nonprofit sector, and kind of supervisor that most energize you or de-energize you. It's also helpful to clarify your ideal salary and other benefits and also how many hours you want to work each week. You can use this document as a kind of litmus test for job postings that you see, to shape your overall job search directions and focus for networking, and to remind yourself that, in fact, there is work that you love to do, even though you haven't found it yet.

You also can use your ideal job description to screen out—or in—volunteer work. As I've said in other columns, it is crucial to be intentional about where you volunteer; carefully researching organizations beforehand and finding out as much as possible about what you will be doing will help you to get the most bang for your volunteer buck. Not only does volunteering have the potential to serve as a stepping stone on your search, but it can also be revitalizing to be surrounded by people who have similar interests and passions. At the very least, it will get you out of the house, which is crucial when you aren't working! A final note: a lot of people think that they need to volunteer many hours a week, but you can make a real contribution, build relationships, and learn a lot in just five to ten hours per week. These hours will ensure that you have the time and energy to do other important search work.

Keep networking, sending out applications, refining your resume and cover letters, and prepping for interviews even when you don't have any scheduled. (See my previous columns for lots of information on interviewing and resuming writing respectively.) Keeping at these tasks can be particularly hard when you've been at it for months, but continuing on is the equivalent of showing up on time for an actual job. They are truly the bread and butter of your work. If you feel that your labors aren't bearing sufficient fruit then it may be time to check in with friends, mentors, or a professional to get feedback on your approach and an extra set of eyes on your documents.

Jane Fonda was talking about aerobics and so am I, in a way. The job search can be as demanding as any job, so try to take good care of yourself while you're knee deep in the process. Sometimes, it's important to get your mind totally off of it and take a real break, whether that be going out for a cup of coffee, to a movie, getting away for the weekend, or just catching up on sleep. Don't underestimate how reenergizing it can be to get away from it all for a while!