Break Your Addiction to Job Boards

Break Your Addiction to Job Boards

Fortune Magazine has made it official: Job Boards are not the most effective way for most people to find employment.  The article notes it would be more effective to have lunch with one good contact than to send 50 resumes for openings through job boards.

If you’re struggling with job board addiction, here is a 12-step plan for moving towards more productive activity:

  1. Limit time spent on job boards to no more than 20% of your daily effort
  2. Set a daily target for actively growing your network
  3. Revitalize and optimize your LinkedIn profile
  4. Learn a new skill and add it to your resume
  5. Volunteer  or mentor someone and add the skills you build to your resume
  6. Consider an internship as a way of learning a new skill or getting into a new field
  7. Connect with someone who will mentor you through this job search or join a search support group
  8. Consider a contractor, consulting or short term job while searching for something more permanent
  9. Join a professional group and attend the meetings
  10. Twitter as an easy way to network and share your expertise
  11. Plan regular face-to-face contact with others including networking meetings and social interaction
  12. Reward yourself daily with pleasurable activities.  It may sound contradictory, but enjoying the time off can actually make you more productive.

Don’t be lured into the false sense of productivity offered by job board activity. These alternate activities will keep you very busy in ways that grow your network and truly move you closer to finding the right job.

Tell us: How are you using job boards in your search?

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7 thoughts on “Break Your Addiction to Job Boards

  1. Hey,

    This is a message for the webmaster/admin here at uwlawcareerplanning.blogspot.com.

    May I use part of the information from this post right above if I provide a backlink back to this website?

    Thanks,
    Peter

  2. Hello,

    This is a inquiry for the webmaster/admin here at uwlawcareerplanning.blogspot.com.

    Can I use some of the information from this post right above if I provide a link back to your website?

    Thanks,
    Alex

  3. I have learned over time to use Job Boards very sparingly. One benefit was applying for a job with a well-known company through the board and then getting into their career site; I have received e-mails directly from the company regarding jobs that they invite me to apply for. Not the only way to find employment, but it doesn’t hurt, either.

    1. Denise, that’s a great idea. Don’t ignore job boards completely, just don’t rely on them as your main source of leads. But what you’re suggesting is really smart.

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