It’s that time again! The holidays are over, and it’s time to take down the tree. Time to reflect on what a year 2012 has been. The ups and downs, the high and lows, and the sometimes those days that were just middle of the road! It’s been a year to remember and we at CampusJobXpress.com have immensely enjoyed being part of your year. Some of our most memorable moments this year have been with you. We can’t thank you enough for allowing us to be a small portion of your year. We have been privileged to see you become awesome job seekers and have had the chance to help you along the way.
In an effort to prepare you for the New Year, we have made a list of things to keep in mind as you get started with preparing for your job search for the coming year with some helpful resolutions to get you started. These resolutions are in no way mandatory, but we find that these things help us get ourselves together as we go about our daily lives. Some of the things on the list are things you might already know how to do, but check it out — you might find a different way of doing them!
- Learn To Delegate — You can only do so much. You’re trying to find work, and trying to get
the kids fed, then on top of that, the dog needs water. As you are at home more now, you can take a little more of the workload to help out and keep the person working in your home afloat, but there is no sense in taking it all on yourself. If you have kids, make a chore list that leaves you time to look for a job. When your working spouse gets home, maybe they can walk Bruno as you check your work emails. Keeping your stress level low is key when searching for a job. - Get Organized — Everything has a time and a place. Believe me when I say, it certainly makes your time a lot better when you know where that place is. Know where your files are on the computer. Color-code some bills for easy paying. Set up a house chart for the family. Put your coupons in alphabetical order. Prioritize your day and have your resume at your fingers tips always. Any of these things can make your life easier and get you to work or an interview faster.
Ramp Up Your Resume — With a new year, comes a new resume. Look over your job history and see what needs to be tweaked. Maybe check in on your References and wish them a Happy New Year. Maybe you took a class in your down time and you have a new skill to add? All of these things can beef up a sparse resume and give an edge to an already spectacular one!- Learn A New Skill — As mentioned above, learning a new skill is great. I don’t care if it’s Brazilian Macrame! It has given you a skill that you can add to your resume. Maybe it took you 7 weeks to learn to do whatever you did, but that’s dedication, reliability, and hard work that can now be put in your list of stellar attributes.
- Give Back To The Community — This one is kind of a no-brainer. When you help others, it takes your mind off of your problems. That means less stress for you! When there is less stress
for you, there is less stress for everyone. When there is less stress for everyone, everyone can be happy. Giving back is a gift that keeps on giving and you should totally take advantage… and take the time to network while you’re there! - Find A Career, Not A Job — So you were working at a job that you lost, and you find that you are not that broken up about it. It’s because it was a job that paid the bills. It was a job you took because you needed to make some money, and this was the end result. Your next step may include taking another job like that, but only if it fits into your overall plan of getting a career. While we work, we become so wrapped up in having a steady pay check, we forget what our dreams are. So make sure that while you are looking for that job that tides you over, you are also looking for ways to fit it into your dream job!
- Stop Beating Yourself Up — Negativity not only comes from the television and outside
sources, it comes from you. Every time you drop a glass of water and call yourself stupid. Every time you don’t get dinner out to the table on time or when you berate yourself for being lazy. Every time you say something negative about yourself, you internalize it and your mind takes over the negative affirmation. We are all about taking a realist look at ourselves, but nothing about being realistic is negative. You may need to change your style of dress, but telling yourself you’re a slob is not helpful. Instead, tell yourself that there are some clothing choices that would be better for my job search and make those changes. No need to call yourself names over things that can easily be changed! - Do Something Nice For Others — This may sound like volunteering, but it’s not. Doing something nice for others is a way to show appreciation for the support and love that those around you are giving you while you look for work. Maybe your husband is watching the kids so you can fit some “me-time” in to work on your resume. Maybe your wife is keeping your desk and home office organized while you are out pounding the pavement looking for a job. Whatever it is, doing something nice reminds the other person, whoever that is, that you are a team and are in this together.
Set Clear Goals — Know what you want and how you’re going to do it! It’s not enough to say I am going to get this job and live a fantastic life! You need to know how you’re going to get it. Are you going to go to school and learn some skills? Are you going to apply in different areas? Maybe you’re going to open up your circle in the networking world? However you plan on reaching that goal, you need to have a clear picture in your head of how you’re going to do it.- Keep Your Goals Realistic — While you’re dreaming big, let’s keep the goals realistic. Let’s say your goal is to be an international pop star. Forget the statistic for becoming an entertainer. You can’t sing, you’ve don’t have any dance moves, and you’ve never been on stage a day in your life. So the goal is not realistic. Not because you can’t
do it. You can do anything with hard work, but you’re not going to get it done with the skill set you have now. Research your goals and find out what it takes to reach them. Having a clear goal is awesome, but without the baby steps to make them work, they are only pipe dreams. - Stay Fit And Healthy — Wash your hands, get your vitamins, and for the love of Pete, keep some cold medicine around the house. The New Year can be a bit blustery and unfortunately, with all the pollen around and all the germs and sneezing dancing through the air, you might catch a cold of epic
proportions! Nothing will lay you low and eat away at your savings like medical expenses. Take advantage of all free health fares. Call the health department for any deals on health care and pay attention to the weather. - Find A Healthy Way To Relive Stress — Find a hobby. In fact find two! You need to find something that lets you take a step back and center yourself. Stress is a killer, and if you are not managing it, then, you’ll wind up with bigger problems then just being unemployed. Maybe taking long walks around the neighborhood is your thing. Try painting. There are thousands of cheap crafts and projects that you can get into to keep yourself busy as well as stop yourself from worrying!
We hope that you have not only a Happy New Year, but a Happy Rest Of The Year. We, at CampusJobExpress.com, are committed to getting you back to work and look forward to another year of working with all of you! △