It is hard to know what's working and what's not if you aren't tracking what you are doing and how you are spending your time.
I remember asking a job seeker how many jobs they had applied for in the past week, the response: "A lot". Probing further, I asked for a number, even a range. The person couldn't estimate how many. This isn't unusual. But, it might be worth changing.
Weekly, are you asking yourself these questions?
- Looking back over the past week, what do you feel you've accomplished?
- Where do you feel you fell short?
- What will you do to fix or change this?
- What are your goals for next week?
- How will you accomplish them?
- Is there an issue or problem you need advice on?
I've heard people complain that tracking this stuff is a job in itself. At first, yes, but after a while it becomes easier. If you don't know what your are doing, how can you change? Measuring your activities is really important.
There are lots of ways to track your activities. I don't like re-inventing wheels, so I am going to show you one I particularly like. Jibberjobber.com also is a great job search tool. F.R.E.E. It is internet-based and user friendly!
Orville Pierson wrote The Unwritten Rules of a Highly Effective Job Search. I've found his productivity chart to be super effective at tracking and evaluating!
If you would like to download an Excel version, use this link. Download Job search tracking And here is a pdf Download CS Productivity horizontal and definitions
To really get the most out of this, meet regularly with an accountability partner and review it with them.
Sometimes, I pride myself on this beautiful garden.
Posted by: Jordan AJF8 | July 23, 2010 at 04:17 AM