When looking for a new job, plenty of people need to take some time off from the company they’re working for at the moment. They often go on a vacation to recharge and compose their thoughts, and they come back home with a refreshed mindset to start job hunting.
If you’re looking for new job opportunities, you don’t have to wait until you’re back in the office to do so. Even though the usual idea of taking a vacation is enjoying leisurely activities such as sightseeing and going to the beach, this can be the perfect time for you to start looking for a new job.
You’re out of your comfort zone, with fresh ideas spurred by the change of surroundings. Here are five ways that you can use this opportunity to jump-start your job search.
Develop a Plan
When you’re vacationing, you’re taking the time away from any distractions. This is the perfect time to assess your career and come up with an objective picture of how you can advance it.
When you’re not at the beach or taking a walk, sit down and pick up a notebook. Jot down all your options and identify the pros and cons of each one. Soon enough, you’ll start to see patterns that can help you develop a plan.
Assess Your Network
Looking for a job can be a lot harder if you don’t base it on research, social activity, and networking. Use your time off to evaluate your network and come up with a marketing plan that presents everything that you’ve accomplished in your career thus far. It should also include a list of all the companies that you want to reach out to.
Instead of doing this at work where it’s more difficult to focus, you can turn it into a valuable exercise during your vacation. When you’re back in the office, you should send your marketing plan to all your networks. By doing so, you’ll provide them with a summary of your skills and fields of interest, which can open new doors for you along the way.
Establish and Nurture New Connections
Being out of the office doesn’t stop you from establishing and nurturing fresh connections that can help you land a new job.
Plenty of vacations are focused on spending some quality time with friends and family, or making new friends while traveling together. When you’re looking for a new job, every discussion that you have can be an opportunity to create valuable connections.
When chatting with friends and family, you can let everyone know that you’re on a job hunt. The chances are that someone will let you know about potential career opportunities at the company they work for. Even though these are some of your closest people, there’s no reason for them not to be potential leads for finding career advancement options.
Find the Right Timing for Your Vacation
While planning your vacation based on your job hunt may not sound like a top priority for taking a break from work, hear us out. If the timing and location are suitable, you can schedule your vacation when the company you’re interested in is holding a major event. This can be your opportunity to present yourself to your potential new employers.
If you can, find someone at the company before the event who can introduce you to an important decision-maker. When you get your chance to meet them, you should have a quick pitch prepared, letting them know about what you can bring to the table.
Be on the lookout during the year for any other events that your target companies hold. You can take a day or two off to attend them.
Enjoy Yourself and Recharge Your Batteries
While most of our suggestions revolve around using your time off to find job opportunities, this in no way means that you shouldn’t do your best to enjoy yourself. Spend as much time as you can doing exciting activities that will help you recharge your batteries and enable you to take on new challenges with vigor and dedication.
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