Unfortunately, the worldwide crisis made that a big number of employees found themselves being made redundant and after a long period being employed by the same company they had to go through a challenging job search.

In addition, there is a big generation of young people with high education unable to find the perfect fit for them. An exquisite education and intermittent work experience as trainees are not enough to start working in the modern corporate world.

Do you feel that you have tried everything? Are you stuck with your job search? Do you feel demotivated and with no light at the end of the tunnel? Well, I have been there and I learnt few lessons that might be interesting for you as well.

1. Rock your CV

It might be something obvious, but believe me that it isn’t. Your CV is the first thing a recruiter will look at and it should be clear, true and the most important one, sexy! Yes, you are reading well. Forget about all your responsibilities, skills and other boring information and focus on your achievements. What did you do during your work experience that contributed to the company’s goals? Among all your responsibilities, which were the ones that you developed and had an impactful result on the department performance? Write them down and select that ones that you think are more aligned with the position you are applying for. A recruiter is looking for a candidate able to replicate these achievements within the new organisation.

Are you new at the job market and has no experience? Well, I am sure that you have been working on projects at the university or maybe you have spent your summer as a trainee. Use that experience to reflect your core values at the CV. Most of the times an interview is based on your attitude and how you present yourself.

2. Create a routine

When you were working, you used to wake up every day at the same time, have a shower, have breakfast and go to work for the next 8 hours. Where is the difference now? Is it only that you don’t have a boss expecting you for an urgent meeting at 9.30?

I can truly affirm that the period I was looking for a job was when I learnt to push myself. Plan your week in advance and commit to yourself. It doesn’t matter if your friends are going to the beach on Tuesday morning, your goal is to find a job and this is a job itself. Decide at what time you want to start with your duty and when you want to finalise it.

Something else I found very useful is to track my actions. Create an excel sheet and fill it with the online platforms you want to visit each day, the job applications you have summited and the calls/interviews you receive day to day. It will help you to follow up with the process in case a recruiter contact you regarding a vacancy. Before I started to do this, I didn’t know which position I was being interviewed for.

*Bonus track: Save all the job descriptions!! They are not going to be available on the website forever.

3. Develop yourself

Don’t wait for an employer to use your skills. Are you a website developer? Create your own website! Are you a journalist? Collaborate with a digital platform or create a blog. Are you an engineer? Plan and offer workshops for companies related to your expertise! Are you still looking for your top skills? Do some voluntary works! There are no excuses to be active.

If you do anything related to your work even if you are not “working” for an employer (please, not that just because you don’t receive a pay check by the end of the month doesn’t mean that you are not working) it will have an impactful impact on you. First of all, you will feel more positive and active.

Also, it is a great opportunity to network with people in an environment where you are desperate begging for a job. And the last one, but maybe one of the most important one, use this information whenever you are called for an interview. Don’t be afraid of saying “during this period, I also did xyz”. It shows that you take your career seriously, you enjoy what you do (because you were doing it as a hobby) and also that you are a proactive person. What else do they need to hire you?

4. Be patient

I know that this is the most challenging part, but you have no choice. Try to focus on the daily activities and never feel that you are wasting your time. Keep a positive mind and think that everything happens for a reason. The job will come, but you have plenty of other things in your life. Family, friendship and personal life comes first, rely on them to support you and don’t blame yourself if you have some blue days.

Measure the timelines. Don’t border all the recruiters every single day, act as you were in a professional environment and again, be patient! If they told you that they will call you on Thursday and it is Friday, wait until Tuesday before you pick up the phone. There are plenty of things to do in a busy day at the HR department, maybe they are still waiting for approvals, internal processes, etc. Don’t panic!

My last tip is to focus on long-term goals. Do you want a specific position? Go for it! If you don’t believe in yourself, why anyone will do?