Step 5: Keep going · topic 1 of 2

Build a weekly job search routine

A job search without a routine tends to expand into every hour, and then feels like it's going nowhere. A routine gives the search a container, and it gives you a way to tell yourself "I did today's part."

There's research behind structure. A 2014 review of 47 job search programs found they raised participants' odds of finding work 2.67 times. The programs that worked combined job search skills with things like goal setting, building confidence, encouraging proactive habits and enlisting support from others ^[1]. Those were structured, guided programs, so a routine you run on your own isn't the same thing. You can still borrow the same pieces for your week.

A sample week

This is a starting point. Adjust it to your energy, your health, your caring duties and whether you're working.

That's 8 messages a week, the same pace as on finding the right people. The application slots are a floor, not a cap. When a strong-fit role is posted, apply that day if you can, instead of waiting for the next slot. Once your materials are in shape, I find a tailored application for a good fit takes about 30 to 45 minutes.

If you're working full time, halve it. Two outreach sessions of 45 minutes a week is still steady progress.

Make the plan specific

Write each block as an if-then plan: "When I've had breakfast on Tuesday, I'll open the tracker and write two messages." A review of 94 tests in published studies found that plans in this form had a medium-to-large effect on whether people reached their goals ^[2].

It also helps to put the blocks in your calendar, the way you'd put in a meeting with someone else.

Review the week on Friday

Spend 20 minutes on three things:

1. Count the messages you sent, the conversations you had and the applications you made.
2. Note which message got a reply, and what might explain it.
3. Choose one focus for next week, such as finishing your LinkedIn About section or adding 4 companies.

Effort is the part you control. Research on job seekers links more search effort, and more confidence in your ability to search, with finding work sooner, though the effects are modest ^[3].

Get some accountability

Tell one person your plan and send them your three numbers every Friday. A friend, a former colleague, a job search group or your coach all work. The point is to have someone notice the work you're doing.

Protect your time off

Job seekers' mood and confidence go up and down from day to day, and those swings follow how much progress people feel they've made ^[4]. A routine helps on both sides: on a slow day you can still point to what you did, and on your days off you can stop without guilt, because you know when you'll start again.