1. Have a plan

Before you begin your job search, you should have a clear idea of what sort of role/company you're actually looking for. What are your red lines? Are you casting your net as wide as possible, or staying within a very specific niche? Asking yourself these questions will help to keep you relaxed when things get a little crazy and disjointed.

Bringing some structure to your job search allows you to control the controllable and helps you to stay focused.

2. Create structure & routine

Being unemployed and having the freedom to sleep in until 2 pm every day might seem like a luxury at first, but we can assure you that the novelty wears off. Your mental health will start to decline if your life has no structure or routine, and this is one of the main reasons that people struggle to stay positive during their job hunt. We'd recommend creating a plan for each day & sticking to it.

3. Take advantage of resources

As a job seeker, you should always be on the lookout for resources that will help you secure your dream job faster. Here at Hyper Recruitment Solutions, we offer advice to candidates including CV advice & tips, interview advice and much more. Looking at resources like this will make you feel more prepared & confident - boosting your mood and helping you stay motivated. 

4. Set realistic goals

Rather than allowing one week to roll into the next, you should set small achievable goals and reward yourself when you complete them. This will help prevent you from falling into a negative cycle. These shouldn't be unrealistic goals, they should be things like:

• Sending out 30 CVs to relevant job postings
• Contacting at least 1 recruitment agency
• Adding 5 new things to your portfolio

5. Be around people that inspire you

It's never a good feeling when a job application is met with rejection. If this happens multiple times, your confidence may start to dwindle.

When you're feeling low, it may help to surround yourself with positivity. One way to do this is to make an effort to meet up with positive influences in your life. These can be family members, friends, or industry colleagues who'll help you to stay on track and not get too disheartened when things aren't going your way.

6. Look for volunteer opportunities

Negativity during your job hunt might stem from boredom, after all, there's only so much sitting at home and looking at jobs that one person can take. A good way to break up your week, get out of the house and feel like you're contributing to society is to look for volunteer opportunities. Animal sanctuaries, charity shops and lots of other stores are on the lookout for an extra pair of hands - so why not help them out?

7. Remember your achievements

When faced with rejection, we often start to feel as if we're not good enough and question our own value. An excellent way to overcome this feeling is to remind yourself of all the great things that you have accomplished in your work life. These can be small things, such as positive comments from former clients or praise-filled emails from an ex-boss, or they can be more formal milestones like certificates and awards you've received.

Create a collection of all these positive reminders to keep yourself motivated.

8. Learn a new skill

With a little extra time on your hands, why don't you try to improve your CV with some additional skills? There are all kinds of online courses (some of which you can do for free) that will make your CV stand out from the crowd. Potential employers like to see that you've been proactive, and learning a new skill will make you feel accomplished. It's a boost for your morale as well as your CV!

9. Develop a portfolio

Nowadays, employees like to see examples of your work, whether that's a printed portfolio or a digital space that you've created. Of course, you won't need a portfolio for every kind of job, but creating a collection of the work your proud of can help to boost your mood while you're looking for jobs.

Reflecting on past work can also help to unearth potential job avenues that you might not have considered yet. For example, you might realise that you really enjoyed the university project which saw you working in a research laboratory - this might then inspire you to broaden your job search.

10. Avoid dwelling on jobs

If you're applying for jobs and either, not hearing back or getting lots of rejection emails, try not to take it too personally. Companies have hundreds and hundreds of applicants for most roles, so there's always going to be people who feel like they missed out. Try not to dwell on jobs that you didn't get, just pick yourself up and focus on the other great job opportunities that are out there. 

11. Seek help

If you can feel yourself becoming depressed and frustrated during your job hunt, then it might be time to seek help from others. First and foremost, speak to your GP if your mental health is suffering, they can help talk through your feelings and may even prescribe you something. For help with your job search, you can get in touch with a recruitment company to help speed the process up.

Recruitment companies like HRS are designed to take the pressure of the job hunt out of your hands. We have specialists who dedicate all of their time to placing people in their dream roles. All you need to do is get in touch with us, and we'll help you through the rest. 

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12. Help others

Helping others is another fantastic way to raise your motivation levels during a job search. This may sound a little cheesy, but it's easier to feel happy when you're providing happiness to others - whether that's in a volunteering space, mentoring somebody, or just helping out some friend who can't help themselves.

13. Take in some motivational material

Stay motivated by reading and listening to motivational material! Subscribe to motivational blogs and podcasts to keep your positive energy levels high, and keep up-to-date with essential industry news so that you are staying on top of your game and are constantly learning. This will give you the little bursts of drive that you need to keep your job search going!

14. Don't be too hard on yourself

This is probably the most important tip to remember when you're going through a tough job hunt. Be kind to yourself. Remind yourself that there are tonnes of talented people in the world who are in the exact same position as you who are, also struggling - you are not on your own.

Your lack of success isn't your fault, and you need to just keep on trying.

15. Don't give up!

The most important thing to remember is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. As long as you keep trying and working towards getting your dream job, it will eventually happen. Do your best to stay focused, stay positive and stay motivated.