Getting a Job Is a Job

We have less than 60 days to go until Thanksgiving, and although you shouldn’t stop your job search when the turkey has been served, hiring will certainly slow down as the holidays approach.

If you’ve been wanting a new job, it is time to get moving.

Finding a job isn’t just about wanting one. You can’t wait until one falls in your lap. If you really want a new job, you’re going to have to work for it the old-fashioned way. You’re going to have to put in time — a lot of time.

You may be thinking, “But, Angela, I’m a busy person! I have a full-time job. I have a family. I have commitments! There is only so much time in a week.”

I hear you. I get it. I empathize with your situation more than you can imagine. But at the end of the day, you have to decide. Do you want to find a new job this year or not? It’s up to you.

If it’s important to you, you’re going to find the time. You may have to cut back on other activities. You may have to take vacation days to work on your search. You may have to sleep a little less. None of these are fun options, but they’re the only way.

Someone once said to me, “Look at your schedule and you’ll find the things you value. You make time for those things.” If you truly want to find a new job, you’re going to have to carve time out. You need time to update your resume, your cover letter, and your LinkedIn profile. You need time to network with your old contacts. You need time to fill out applications, perfect your elevator pitch, and flesh out your personal brand. Of course, you need time for interviews, too.

You can’t outsource this work. Your job search is yours alone. No matter how high up the food chain you are in your career, you’re still in charge of your job search.

Once you get into a company’s interview process, it can move fast or slow. It’s hard to predict. It could take just a few days, or it could take months. Putting in the time now is the only way to get there. Try to put at least two hours into your search each day.

Finding a new job isn’t going to be fast. It isn’t going to be easy. Frankly, it may even be painful. However, it is absolutely worth it to put in the time to find something you truly love.

A version of this article originally appeared on Copeland Coaching.

Angela Copeland is a career coach and CEO at her firm, Copeland Coaching.