You’ve probably heard it said that looking for a job is a full time job. It’s true in the sense that it should be your full time job if you are unemployed or underemployed. But if you have accepted a full time job, you might not have the time, what with other obligations, to continue such a time-intense search.

Continue to do the same tasks but scale them in proportion to the time that you actually do have to dedicate to your continued quest. If you had 8 hours daily to look for work while unemployed, you’d ideally have spent about an hour searching online for job openings. If you have 2 hours now, you might only spend 15 minutes on that activity now.

I have made some suggestions below. They are just that, suggestions. Your situation might differ. If you are new in town, you might have to step up your networking. If you volunteer somewhere, you might scale down the networking to reflect your interaction with people on that basis. If you are changing industries or position types, you might want to increase the research aspect. If you have interviews, of course, they take precedence to everything else. Adjust accordingly.

• Online Search for Job Openings 10%

Any more than this is a waste of time. Most jobs are unpublished and found through word of mouth. Target your job search to places that you want to work and that utilize your skills and strengths.

• Research 25%

Spending a fair amount of time researching the industries, companies, job positions, and people you hope to work for and with will immensely increase the effectiveness of your networking and correspondence.

• Networking 50%

This might seem like a lot of time, but you almost can’t spend too much time building relationships. All of your networking and connecting doesn’t have to be professionally related. Continue to attend religious or social events; continue to volunteer for causes you believe in; continue to reach out and show value to those in your network. You’d be surprised where a job lead comes from if you are focused and you have done your homework.

• Written Correspondence – Interest Letters, Cover Letters, Resumes,etc. 15%

You know what you want and with an Action Strategy for your Career (ASC), you are now prepared to approach the right people that can help you get to where you want to go. Your writing (and your conversations for that matter) will be much more relevant and compelling. The more you know and the more you write, the more you will be able to learn and continue to write effective cover letters and other professional correspondence.

Don’t forget to dedicate time outside of your work and continued job search to take care of yourself. Get a good night’s sleep, eat well, exercise, get a massage. Reward yourself in other ways for tasks accomplished or goals met. Taking care of yourself is a right and a responsibility, not a reward.