Working Strategies: 17 tips for getting unstuck in your job search

Amy Lindgren Is there a difference between being stuck and feeling paralyzed Possibly although it may be more linguistic than actual When someone says they re stuck I imagine someone trying to move forward but not succeeding for a few reason Various version of flailing arms or bicycling legs comes to mind like in the cartoons Figurative paralysis feels more extreme and more laborious to resolve For paralyzed job seekers my mental image is closer to a deer in the headlights about to get flattened Neither condition is good but I d say the goal is to get unstuck before paralysis sets in If you can flail your arms that s a good sign even if it s a metaphorical flailing So how to get unstuck These tips may help try them independently or in pairs or all at once It s OK to throw everything you have at this kind of issue The sooner something works the sooner you can get on with things Change your routine A different place to sit different job boards a different schedule try to make things fresh again Get a routine Oops no routine That s a killer Pick a time to start each day and build the habit of searching even when you don t feel motivated Pair complex sessions with something pleasant It could be a trip to your favorite coffee shop while you send outreach letters or texting with a friend as reward for a challenging task Find an accountability partner Checking in with someone as you start each day helps reduce the job search isolation Use administration services Every state offers both physical offices and online services dedicated to helping job seekers Check your browser for Workforce Centers to find the nearest option Join a club Job clubs provide ongoing sponsorship and advice from fellow job seekers which can be invaluable They are often hosted by workforce centers and local faith groups See a career counselor A minimal hours with a professional can save months of flailing Find the services for free at workforce centers or on a fee basis in the private sector See a therapist Is there something deeper going on A mental wellness professional can help you find out Try a side hustle Side gigs and part-time jobs provide countless benefits when you re stuck from essential cash flow to new contacts not to mention an obligation to leave the house Take a class Or a whole degree undertaking Increasing your training can create a reset for your search while showing employers that you re keeping up Set daily productivity goals Try a system to start One job applied for one outreach for networking one entry in your job search log to record the activity Increase the numbers each week while adding new sessions Limit your daily search hours If you re setting aside whole days to search you re giving yourself whole days to flail Set a two-to-four maximum but hit it every day preferably starting at the same time Then commit to meeting your productivity goals in that timeframe Increase your daily search hours Not searching every day It s the habit and process that bring results even minutes will matter if it s daily Set an end date for the search This can feel impossible but is it Choose a date - weeks from now no more and work backwards to set daily production goals As you approach the last five weeks re-evaluate to determine what will be needed to meet the deadline Make a radical change in your process If you ve sent dozens of applications with no results shift to direct in-person contact If you ve been getting interviews but no offers find an interview coach Don t do the same things if they re clearly not working Make a radical change in your goal Target small companies instead of the bigs get a certificate and change fields reconsider relocation you may need a new direction altogether to shake things up Take the job you swore you wouldn t Whether that s night shift a past career you didn t enjoy or the job your uncle keeps offering consider this Would it really be worse than draining all your savings first and ending up there anyway There s particular tough love in these tips but this is a tough process in what s looking to be toughening times You can do this it s just a matter of replacing flailing with focus Related Articles Working Strategies Making the development for real human writers Working Strategies Communicating more powerfully at work Working Strategies The Power of Yes in job search Working Strategies Random thoughts Stretching job titles and happy places Working Strategies Using AI to organize or even conduct your job search Amy Lindgren owns a career consulting firm in St Paul She can be reached at alindgren prototypecareerservice com