Right now the weather has a lot of people in a rut. The West has too little precipitation while the East has too much of a good thing, that is if you like snow. For those who are looking for work, it only adds to the sense of impossibility some days.
Personally, I find mixing it up is one of the most effective ways to get out of a slump. Here are some creative ideas to help get you going.
Get Some Vitamin OMG
I have always done my best thinking on my walks. In fact, when I was consulting to Fortune 100 companies, I often charged them for my exercise time if I identified creative solutions to their business problems while power walking. Sneakers, pavement and sun became my path to strategic success.
Exercise has actually been proven to help with creative thinking. So why not lace up, get out (even if it means going to a mall early in the morning when the roads are unsafe) and start creating your own OMG-why-didn’t-I-think-of-that-sooner moments for productive things to do for your job search.
Discover a New BFF
Going over the same lists of who do I know is not a very productive exercise after a while. Adding to the list or connecting the dots in ways you haven’t been able to before is what you need. CareerSonar bolts up today’s job listings with your LinkedIn and Facebook networks for free. With Facebook’s recent acquisition of WhatsApp, this has the potential to significantly broaden your job listing connections if you are a user of the app. That social graph may uncover that a friend of yours has a best friend at a company hiring right now for a job you desire.
Change the Scenery with a G2G Approach
Every time I head into New York City for a day of meetings or a conference, it leaves me feeling like my batteries were recharged. Being around other people, hearing their passion and sharing ideas to help each other makes me more excited for my own business.
If you are underemployed right now, force yourself to say I’ve got to go. Find a co-working space nearby. Many offer free or highly discounted trial periods. Grab your laptop, sign up and get to know some new people. Most are running startups that need help. See if there is a match with your skills and volunteer some time. You never know where it will go and it offers you fresh material for your resume.
WTH, Learn a New Medium
Some days it seems like there is a new social media platform being discovered on a weekly basis. At first it was Facebook and LinkedIn, then along came Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat and Vine. Mixed in was Xbox Live, Minecraft, and a gazillion apps that unite the obsessive compulsive in many of us. And we can’t forget the endless news platforms, blogs, discussion forums and comment threads to keep us informed.
It’s enough to make you want to go live off the grid!
Alternatively, you could adopt a what-the-heck attitude and use some of your spare time to learn one of these mediums. It has the potential to make you more current, build your confidence with social media, find new ways of thinking and communicating and maybe even a job.
Taking ownership for things that are hampering your job search can be a practical first step to changing the dynamic. What you need now is less BTDT (been there, done that) and more GI (good idea).