Getting into the right mindset for your job search can be tough. Whether you’ve been on the job hunt for a while, or you’re just getting started, your first step should be figuring out what you want to achieve.

• You need the right mindset

Knowing where to start – or how to continue – when you’re looking for work can be tricky, but with the right mindset, great things can happen. Getting into the right mindset for your job search is all about figuring out where you want to go, and then setting some goals to help you get there. Looking for work can be daunting and can challenge you in new and sometimes scary ways. Setting clear goals will help you plan your route, face your fears, put you on the path to learning new things, and help you get where you want to go faster.

SMART Goals

The concept of SMART goal setting is all about helping you get clarity about what you most want, so that you can focus your efforts, learn to use your time (and resources) more effectively and boost your chances of success. SMART goal setting will help you achieve everything you want in life by making sure your goals are realistic and within reach. SMART goals should be:

• Specific: Be as clear as possible, the more specific the goal, the more motivated you’ll be, and the easier it will be to focus your efforts.

• Measurable: Instead of making the goal “go on more job interviews” a SMART goal would be “go to 4 interviews per month”. Measurable goals allow you to track your progress and give you a clearer path to success.

• Achievable: To succeed, your goals need to be realistic and attainable. The ideal goal should challenge you and get you out of your comfort zone, but still be possible to achieve within the constraints of your circumstances.

• Relevant: Your goals should fit into your overall plan for your life. Where do you ultimately want to end up? Understanding where your goal fits in with your overall plans will help you stay focused on the big picture.

• Timely: Setting time limits and deadlines to each of the steps in your path to reaching your goal will help you stay on track and make sure the goal remains a priority.

• Write it down: Once you’ve thought about what you’d like to achieve it’s time to write everything down. Writing down your goal – and your plan for achieving the goal – will make it seem more ‘real’ and motivate you to get started. Once you’ve written everything down, stick it up somewhere in your house where you will always see it, that way you’ll stay motivated and be able to track your progress more easily.

• Don’t get discouraged: All goals – no matter how smart – offer challenges along the way. Setting clear goals will get you started with the right mindset, but in order to keep it throughout the journey you need to be prepared to hit some rough patches. Don’t get discouraged when you do. It’s all part of the process and it happens to everyone. Don’t give up!

Want some additional help to reach your job search goals? Contact us today on 9784 0400 to find out how we can help.