How to actually enjoy your job hunt

We’ve all been there. Hours, days, weeks - months even - spent hunched over, facing a screen, endlessly scrolling down job boards to find ‘the one’. Job hunting, thanks to its repetitive nature, can easily feel chorish rather than fun or exciting. Not to mention how stressful it can be to spend ages preparing for an interview, and then wait what feels like ages-times-two for a response.??

There’s no doubt in my mind that only a tiny percentage of the population enjoy job hunting... But, unless you get lucky and win the lottery, or stumble across a [suspicious] briefcase filled with cash, looking for a job is inevitably going to take up some of your time here on earth. So, what can we, the remaining 99.9% of the population, do to make job hunting less gloomy and more groovy, baby??

“What even is job hunting?”

I vote we just stop calling it that. After all, your job is actually quite personal to you. Let's stop generalising the process of finding our career and own it instead. If your approach so far hasn’t been working for you, take a step back. Use this time to reinvent what job hunting is for you and how you will go about it from here on out. Changing the way you talk about something will in time also change the way you view it. Find a more positive and meaningful name to replace job hunting, something that works for you; something that makes you laugh.

Don’t be afraid to get silly - and don’t let the confines of being an ‘adult’ stop you from having fun. Maybe your job hunt is the first step to becoming a better you, or, you could be the next Bond, looking for your newest adventure. Thinking creatively is going to help your mind stay active while applying to jobs, as well as helping you focus. This will improve your whole approach to job hunting, as well as your attitude towards it. Of course, your new code for job hunting doesn’t have to be out there, out there, it just has to work for you.

Use the tools you know and love, not the ones you are told to

We all have something unique to offer. Something that makes us stand out. Why not factor this into our search? Begin using your skills as more than just bullet points on your CV, make them your job hunting tools. Perhaps you’re a great writer, or your specialty is networking. Maybe you’re a numbers person. It becomes easier to hate applying for jobs when it means you are stuck behind a screen, trapped in the cycle of: click on job; fill out form; copy and paste cover letter; send application. Imagine this: Sarah is a natural networker, a people person. Instead of focusing on solely applying to jobs via websites, Sarah decides to add networking events to her job hunt plan to meet people and find new opportunities. This way, she uses her interpersonal skills to speed up and strengthen her job hunt. The internet has definitely made job hunting much more accessible, and can help you find your perfect role, but varying your search between being online and in-person can help dissolve the negative feelings, like being bored and stuck, associated with job hunting in general.?

Maybe you aren’t social at all, maybe you like your work to do the talking for you. What’s stopping you from tapping into your creative side to make your very own portfolio or personal website??

Overall, changing your approach and methods can help make the experience less tedious and way more dynamic. Remember that you are in control of your job hunt, it doesn’t have to be the same as everyone else’s. Focus on finding ways to utilise your skills, interests and strengths.?

Apply to what excites you

One of the things that makes job hunting so tedious is that people tend to focus more on finding a suitable role than finding a company which excites them. You end up applying to companies you wouldn’t necessarily love to work for, rather, the vacancy they’re advertising just seems like one you can get - a role that you’d be a reasonable fit for.?

Even though you might feel like focusing on the role requirements is going to increase your chances of getting hired, and to some degree it will (i.e. you can’t apply to be an astronaut with no relevant qualifications) but in terms of job hunting, it's a big mistake. It can make you feel apathetic towards your future and your search... And I’m guessing that since you’re here, reading this, you want to avoid that.?

Find companies that you’d love to work for, you can even make a list of your dream companies, and begin looking at their vacancies. If you do see something that interests you, apply. If you don’t, still contact them. Take a leap of faith. Tell the company what you can bring to their business, and why you love them. Very rarely will people bite the bullet and move from just dreaming of working for their favourite companies to seriously considering them as potential employers. Once you start doing this, you’ll begin looking forward to looking for work and new opportunities. ?

Well, there you have it. These are my top three tips to help you actually enjoy your job hunt. If you’re ready to start, try using the inploi platform to find out more about the different companies we work with. If you still feel unsure, check out the inploi community page where we have tonnes of advice articles to help your job search.