5 excuses you're using to put off your job search Stop making excuses, and start being proactive with your job search.

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Your job search is starting to lag. Why? You could have a million excuses, each as good as the last, but the truth is, you have to overcome challenges to find the job that is right for you. If you’ve been using one of the excuses below, you may want to cross it off your list.

1. No one is hiring.

This is simply not true. There is never a time when no one is hiring. There will be times of the year when the process slows down, the industry is in a funk, or not many companies are looking to take in new people. While this makes the process harder overall, saying that no one is hiring is just an excuse. If it seems like no one is hiring at the moment, there are still things you can do to enhance your job search besides applying for jobs. You can use that newfound free time, that you would have spent going to interviews, to make sure your online profiles are in tip top shape. Contribute more to online groups and attend networking events. Get your name out there.

2. Now isn’t the right time.

You may feel like you just don’t have time to search for a job at the moment. You may be trying to get through your days at a current job that is unfulfilling and stressful, leaving you drained when you return home at the end of the day. Maybe your child is sick, and you are going to doctor’s appointments. Your parents are visiting from out of town, and you have to clean the house and entertain them. These are all excuses. Budgeting your time is one of the best things you can do in the job process. If you are currently working, force yourself to use one hour after work towards looking for a new job. If you aren’t currently working, then searching for another position should be your full-time job. Put in a good six to eight hours a day on this new job.

3. I don’t know where to start.

Looking for a job can be overwhelming, it’s true. You may feel like there is simply too much to do, and you don’t know how to tackle it all. But the truth of the matter is that there are plenty of resources available that break down the job search process step by step, showing you what needs to be done and how you can do it. This can help you to also gain knowledge about the different ways to go about finding a job—there’s more than just one method. You can learn about networking and try to find a job through a personal connection. You can scope out local ads and show up to businesses in person to express interest. You can submit your application directly to a company. You will get farther with any method you choose than with doing nothing at all.

4. Things will get better.

When you are stuck in a plateau during the job search, there are two lines of thinking that you could subscribe to. The first is a “why bother” type of thinking, where you believe a good job will never come around, so you make excuses to give up. The second is a willful ignorance that even though you aren’t doing anything, something will come around eventually. If you’re just waiting around, hoping a recruiter will stumble upon your LinkedIn profile, you are probably in for a long wait. The best approach to the job search is not apathy, it’s persistence. You are much more likely to receive a job offer if you are constantly updating your online profiles, going to industry events and networking, and sending in resumes to relevant positions.

5. I never hear back.

It can be tough when you are sending out resumes or going to interviews, and never hearing back. This could mean that you aren’t qualified for the positions you are applying for, they found someone with more experience or better qualifications, or you are going wrong somewhere in the job process. Take this opportunity to switch things up. Maybe change your resume. Create a different cover letter. Update your online profiles. See if these changes reflect in feedback when applying to jobs. It could be as simple a solution as writing a more compelling cover letter.

Source: The Ladders 

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