How Many Hours a Day Do YOU Search for Jobs?

Ok, for those who are totally out of work (no pay at all), I hope you wind up feeling like I do:  "I have to get a job soon, because this job of hunting for a job is killing me.  I spend 10-14 hours a day working on this job!"

I admit a become a bit maniacal when searching for a job, especially if I'm out of work.  Don't know about you, but the unemployment check isn't really cutting it.  I am very fortunate to be working a contract position 40 hours per week at the moment, but am very much looking forward to my next "full time" gig.   

I guess I'm easily shocked, but there are people in serious financial straights that I've met who spend the absolute "minimum" time looking for work.   I have heard of those who've spent a couple of hours in the mid-morning "looking for a job" by scanning the Internet job boards, maybe sending in a couple of resumes, then calling it a day.   The kicker:  some get angry that they aren't finding jobs.

A real job search campaign (yes, like, as in "marketing campaign") is a more than full time job.  A "day in the life" should look something like this:   up at the regular work time, eat and get dressed for work, begin making contacts (by phone, email, IM, etc....phone is best if you can't meet them in person), set up and go out on informational interviews, hit a networking group (just a couple each week), each lunch with a contact, do more of the same in the afternoon until 5pm, then, after dinner, scour the Internet job listings and apply for those that are possibilities (I use Google Reader to pull the job listings applicable to one location via RSS) and do some research on your targeted companies and look for contacts.   After sleeping my needed hours, get up and do it all over again.

Yes, it makes for a busy day, but I am making contacts, networking, researching, and generally busier than I would be at a "real" job.    Note the amount and time of day you should spent Internet job hunting---evenings after work hours for maybe a couple of hours.  My use of the RSS subscription and Google Reader helps me to lessen this time considerably.

I have had people tell me that this schedule is crazy, that that is "a lot of hours," and ask "why don't you relax some?"  Usually those comments come from people fully employed. : )

The truth is, you can burn yourself out while job hunting, but, I would venture to say that it's not the case with most job seekers.  Most probably fit the pattern of the few-hour job search on the Internet, followed by hours of frustration and anger because "no one is calling."  

By the grace and care of God, my last few job searches, using this kind of schedule, were 67, 35, and 14 days (even though I am currently in a contract job, the pay is about the same).   It isn't that I've earned this by working the plan outlined above; it's that I was faithfully doing what I know to do and allowing God to do His work.   I can't take credit for any of that.   I do believe, however, that if we put forth little or wasted effort on the wrong things in a job search, a) God will not bless our laziness and 2) even an atheist has no hope of getting a job by that puny of an effort.

Organizing your job search, spending your time working at the job of searching for a job full time, and doing the right things are the keys to shortening your search.  Need motivation?  Keep a picture of your spouse and children nearby.  You know you don't want to be lazy for their sakes, even if you don't care about yourself.