3 Steps To Create A Productive Jobseeker’s Project

“Grieve your losses and get back up again. Because ain’t nobody got time to waste!”

You heard it right. It happened, and it is hard, the feeling is the worst when you get the news that you’re not on the company’s  “to keep list”. So what? You have lost your job, yet life still goes on. It is time to plan your next step , and be quick! Because the upcoming days will be anything but easy.

Right now is the best time to make all the plans that you have briefly thought about while you were hustling for that company who had just “dumped” you. We are in an era where the millennials are currently the largest generation of active workers, which most have never first-hand1QSX  experienced an economic recession in their life. Therefore, considering you are new to this whole experience that COVID-19 has created for us, let us help you with your recovery process.

1. Set Your Next Career Goals

Before you get into the first step, remember to give yourself a few days (not too long) to let your emotions out. Look for the support of close friends, family, a mentor or professional to talk about how you feel. In a recent article on the UM Specialist Centre’s website, mental health is a rising health issue in the year 2020, affecting Malaysians after heart disease. According to a survey by the National Health and Morbidity, every three in ten adults aged sixteen years and above in Malaysia suffer from some form of mental health issues. Hence, your health comes first, take care of your mental health as is vital for you to keep going. 

Once you have cleared your head, now take a day or two to write down your new realistic career goals. Write down what you have learned at your previous posts; identify what you are capable of and the type of work that you like and dislike to work on for both short and long term. Then, plan your job search activities towards achieving them.

Next, start budgeting. When unemployment is saturating the market, you have to think of the worst-case scenario. The “what ifs” of not being able to get a job for as long as a year; how are you going it cope with it mentally and financially. You will now have to figure out what are necessities and superfluities. 

2. Plan your activities

There are countless activities that you can carry out with a lean budget—for example, waking up early to exercise. Go for a jog, a hike or maybe attend a free yoga class virtually through YouTube for a minimum of 3 days a week. Maintaining an active life increases your mood-boosting neurotransmitter – Serotonin, natural antidepressants that do wonders for your mood. To double up the fun, invite a friend to join you.

Next example, start getting active on your professional account by expanding your network through LinkedIn. But before you start connecting with others, be sure that your LinkedIn profile is presentable. Ensure that you have filled in necessary information such as summary, employment history and education background to make your LinkedIn profile look legit. Then start searching and applying to jobs that fit the goals you have written down earlier. Also, reach out to recruiters and decision-makers to let them know that you are looking for help why you are a good fit for the vacant role or their organisation. That aside, you may want to set aside time to meet up with close friends and family to have a chat with them. More often than not, many people do get successful job recommendations from these individuals. 

Prepare for your interview – there is never enough practice because you can never have a hundred per cent right guess of what the interviewer might ask. Take this time to do plenty of research and practice to help you make this process natural. Instead of practising in a mirror, try recording your sessions, review and revise your answering techniques again. Virtual interviews is now the new norm, so get comfortable speaking in front of a camera.

3. Attempt something new 

If you are one who often tells yourself that trying something new can be done on another day, well, today is the day! Learn a new skill, be it a skill that could help you with your career or that hobby that you can never find time to pursue. Participate in a volunteering event to help someone, a community or an abandoned pet, contribute to the society differently. 

These experience might come in handy one day, write them down in your CV and incorporate them in your interviews, let them be an achievement that you could use to stand out from the crowd. 

Example schedule

“Treat your job search as a full-time job.”

Keeping a schedule is beneficial as it can help you be productive, find a job and relieve your guilt from appreciating your free time. To sum it up, here is an example schedule for you to follow for maximum productivity when you are unemployed. 

To conclude, don’t feel beat about being laid off. More importantly, is focus on what you can do now to make your future better. Take care of your mental health, plan out your day and keep a schedule. Tough times don’t last; tough people do. So keep going and stay healthy!

To learn more about Adecco Malaysia’s services, drop us an email at marketing.my@adecco.my or ring us up at 603- 2781 0000. We care and are ready to help you!