Getting Things Done in Your Job Search

Job search requires proper management of your time and resources. Use the following four Ds to manage your job search priorities:

• Drop — this is the easy one. Yet often we are unable to let go of things that "we are supposed to do." Says who? Focus your job search on your objective. Drop those activities that are not truly important. And extend this prioritization to all aspects of your life to make more time for the truly important activities.
• Delegate — you have been used to doing it all yourself. Now may be the time to tap into the help of others. We usually delegate only when we are swamped and have no choice. Then it's not really delegating, it's dumping. Make the choice to seek out the help of others. There will be plenty of people who will help, if you are willing to ask.
• Delay — it's amazing how many "important" things go away when they are ignored. Not that I am advocating procrastination in your job search. Just focus on doing the right thing at the right time in the right way. Put aside the other tasks until they truly need attention.
• Do — the critical step of accomplishing anything. All the planning in the world will accomplish nothing unless you actually do something with the plan. Organization is only a means to an end. In the end, you need to just do it.

Every minute (up to fifteen) invested in daily planning returns back three to five extra minutes of productivity. And every minute (up to thirty) invested in weekly planning returns five to ten minutes. So plan out your job search and plan for a life of success.