If you’ve ever experienced the heartbreak and pain of job loss, you know how depressing and discouraging it can be. When you’re out of work, all you can think about is getting back to work as quickly as possible. Time is of the essence. Each day you are out of work is another day you are burning through limited cash reserves, unemployment benefits, and patience. When you’re unemployed you need action, and you need it fast. 

 

Here’s a hard truth: There is a job out there for you. You just have to find it, which requires more than a decent resume and a bit of luck. You need a clear, concise, and measurable strategy in order to locate your job and convince the employer to bring you on board.

 

A common question amongst job seekers is how much time they should allot to the search on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. While some people may be tempted to search for work casually and devote the rest of their day to napping, most agree that finding a job should be treated like a full-time job itself.

 

According to Forbes, “A successful job search strategy requires planning, and time must be allotted for each step of the process. While the amount of time spent on each step may vary depending on the industry, experience, and the strength of the job seeker’s network, those planning their search should expect to focus on each of the following areas in the same way an employee focuses on their job duties.”

 

If you’re going to treat your job search like you would a normal job, then you need to have structure and goals. Whether in business or your personal life, having a goal gives you something to work towards. It pushes you forward and provides a constant reminder of what you want to achieve. It gives you something to focus on.

 

Goals provide the motivational energy to carry on even when motivation is low.

 

Academia has written much on the subject. By far, though, the most well-known goal-setting technique is SMART. The acronym encourages us to make goals specific, measurable, agreed-upon (some people use achievable or attainable), realistic, and time-bound.

 

According to the Chartered Management Institute, “SMART is an acronym that has been credited to both Peter Drucker (1955) and G.T.Doran (1991), though it is difficult to identify whether either of these two were really the first people to use the term ‘SMART’ with reference

to objectives. The term SMART is now in common usage among managers who use SMART to set objectives within appraisal and performance management systems.”

 

While not specifically designed for individuals embarking on a job search, the SMART framework seems uniquely suited to that purpose. When unemployed and on the job hunt, it’s all too easy to lose motivation and grow increasingly discouraged. This framework, however, provides the structure to keep you feeling accomplished and motivated. 

 

According to Indeed.com:

 

“SMART goal is a carefully planned, clear, and trackable objective. It stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based.

 

S = Specific

Be as clear and specific as possible with what you want to achieve. For example, instead of saying “I want to be in leadership” you might say, “I want to earn a position managing a development team for a startup tech company.” The more narrow your goal, the more you’ll understand the steps necessary to achieve it.

 

When searching for a job, an example of a specific goal would be “I want to generate five job interviews two months from now.” It frames the basis for the rest of the strategic plan you create. It flows down through the rest of the sections and helps you to think about what you need to do going forward. 

 

M = Measurable

What evidence will prove you’re making progress toward your goal? For example, if your goal is to earn a position managing a development team for a startup tech company, you might measure progress by the number of management positions you’ve applied for and the number of interviews you’ve completed. Setting milestones along the way will give you the opportunity to re-evaluate and course-correct as needed. When you achieve your milestones, remember to reward yourself in small but meaningful ways.

 

If we go back to our earlier example of wanting to generate five interviews in two months, we can then break it down further into more measurable solutions. For example, to generate five interviews, you’re going to need to begin figuring out what a reasonable “hit rate” is based on job applications. Perhaps you’ll get one interview out of every twenty jobs you apply for. Based on that math, you can begin to calculate an estimated number of jobs you need to apply for (and the timeframe over which you need to apply) in order to hit your goal. Measure your progress on a daily basis in order to make sure you’re on the right track. 

 

A = Achievable

Have you set an achievable goal? Setting goals you can reasonably accomplish within a certain timeframe will help keep you motivated and focused. Using the above example of earning a job managing a development team, you should know the credentials, experience, and skills necessary to earn a leadership position. Before you begin working toward a goal, decide whether it’s something you can achieve now or whether there are additional preliminary steps you should take to become better prepared.

 

Going back to our initial example for a moment, the goal of five interviews in two months is aggressive, yet achievable. If you had set the goal of five interviews in one week, then you might be sorely disappointed. There’s no way to reasonably achieve that goal in a short period of time, and thus would cause your daily plans to fall apart. Achievable plans are actionably and can naturally lead to success. 

 

R = Relevant

When setting goals for yourself, consider whether or not they are relevant. Each of your goals should align with your values and larger, long-term goals. If a goal doesn’t contribute toward your broader objectives, you might rethink it. Ask yourself why the goal is important to you, how achieving it will help you and how it will contribute toward your long-term goals.

 

When you’re searching for a job, you’ll quickly find that it is all-too-easy to get distracted by the tasks of the day. Making sure that your tasks are relevant to your overall mission ensures that your work isn’t in vain. 

 

T = Time-based

What is your goal time-frame? An end-date can help provide motivation and help you prioritize. For example, if your goal is to earn a promotion to a more senior position, you might give yourself six months. If you haven’t achieved your goal in that timeframe, take time to consider why. Your timeframe might have been unrealistic, you might have run into unexpected roadblocks or your goal might have been unachievable.”

 

If you’re out of work, time is of the essence. Every day you’re not working is another day you’re burning through cash reserves, savings, and unemployment benefits. Having all of your goals be time-based ensures that you keep focused on the tasks at hand and constantly move toward your goal. 

 

Each of these elements of the SMART framework should be applied to your job search. Consider breaking down each aspect of your search into specific goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based. 

 

Make sure that you’re not setting unrealistic expectations for yourself or pushing too hard and fast. For example, it’s most likely unreasonable to set a timeframe of 1 week to find a new job. 

 

Try to set daily, weekly, and monthly goals that cover applying for jobs, attending networking opportunities, cold outreach to targeted jobs, and of course practice and training. 

 

WorkItDaily.com provided a great set of examples that differentiate between regular goals and SMART goals for job seekers. 

 

Example 1:

  • Regular Goal: Revise my resume.
  • SMART Goal: Create two alternative versions of my resume, ready for distribution, by next Sunday night. 

 

Example 2:

  • Regular Goal: Contact my references.
  • SMART Goal: Identify at least one reference for each of my previous jobs, contact them with my resume and information on jobs I’m seeking, within the next month. 

 

Example 3:

 

Example 4: 

 

  • Regular Goal: Send thank you emails.
  • SMART Goal: Send thank you emails within 24 hours of an interview to each person involved in the interviews. 

 

 

Understanding SMART goals can also be a powerful tool for a candidate to use during an interview. Job postings, ads, and even job descriptions can be filled with generalities and duties that, at best, describe the average performance. A job seeker is frequently asked, “Do you have any questions?” Seize this opportunity whenever given. Unless the following has been made clear to you, ask: “If I were offered and accepted this position, and you considered me to be extremely successful in my first year, what did I accomplish?” Then, probe! And probe whenever you can during an interview when you don’t have clear, specific (SMART)  expectations from the interviewer.

 

Key Takeaways 

Your goal is the same as the millions of other Americans who have recently been laid off. You want to get back to work, and fast. To do this, you need a strategy designed to help you stand out in the crowd. 

Most job seekers know to only apply for jobs for which they’re qualified; however, they should realize it’s a numbers game, and the more relevant positions they identify, the better chance a good opportunity will arise. You need to use a structured framework to strike the right balance. 

 

While spending less than an hour a day on a job search will likely yield minimal results and prolong unemployment, dedicating 40-plus hours a week may overwork the market, tempting candidates to apply for jobs that don’t fit well and eventually cause frustration or burnout. 

 

Those who treat it as a job in itself and use the SMART framework will likely see better results than those who lack the structure and discipline of an active employee.

 

In all, you should have a daily, weekly, and monthly SMART goal for each of those four verticals. Then, as you tackle your full-time job of finding a job, you’ll be able to track and manage your progress as you go. 

 

Write them down, follow up on them, and even consider sharing them with your job support group or mentors.  This will lead to a sense of structure and accomplishment after a day’s work and help you maintain a positive outlook in challenging times.