You are laying in your bed, you are thinking about the job that you absolutely hate. This job brings out the worst in you, you dread driving there and sitting there for hours doing pointless work. You want a change, no, you NEED a change in positions, in a job, anything to make you happy again.

Congratulations for entering the job search process! Let me warn you, it is a long one, it can be challenging but you have to do it! Good luck!

Stage One: Updating Your Resume

This stage is SUPER important. If you don’t have a resume, consider creating one on a Microsoft word template because for most online job applications you can just upload your resume from your computer and it fills out most of the application (makes the future stages earlier)! (If you have no work experience, no worries!)

Stage Two: Searching for Job Openings

This is super easy if you go to a job board website, like Indeed.com. You can put the location where you are looking for jobs and it narrows down your search a little and you can filter this with part-time and full-time positions and certain companies. Go to a job board website, this will make it easier instead of going to individual company websites and filling out applications individually with each website.

Stage Three: Filling out Applications

You have found some jobs that tickle your fancy, you could see yourself working there as an employee. You click on the job, attach your resume to it and send it out to the company. Now you wait.

Stage Four: Waiting With Agony

This part may seem to take forever, waiting for a phone call or an email. No worries, it might take a few days for the company’s management to see and/or receive your application. If you would really like to know if they had received it, wait a few days and call the store and ask for the (hiring) manager to see if they have viewed your application. Chances are that they were too busy to call you or look at your application, but now that they have heard your name, when they go through applications they will automatically recognize it and look at it thoroughly and give you a call back!

Stage Five: Answering the Phone Call

You get a strange number on your phone calling you, you hesitate to answer it not knowing who it is. If you are actively looking for jobs DO NOT IGNORE PHONE CALLS, even if they are “strange” numbers. Chances are it’s that job that you applied for and their manager wants to call to schedule an interview with you!

Stage Six: More “Waiting with Agony”

During this time you are going to become more and more nervous before your interview. Make sure you read some interview tips online and have a nice outfit, and STAY CALM AND RELAXED! It is exciting that you have an interview for a job that you desperately want/need, don’t these waiting days with nerves!

Stage Seven: The Interview

Today is the day, the interview for the job you want. You are dressed nicely you have thought of some questions to ask the interviewer and you are ready. You are a ball of nerves but that’s okay, you are confident and that’s the important part! Just be you and you will do great! Don’t worry so much!

Stage Eight: Even more “Waiting with Agony”

They told you that they would let you know their answer in a matter of days. You are beyond a wreck. Did you get it? Did you bomb the interview? Did you say something wrong? Do you not have enough experience? Did they not like you? Were you not dressed up enough? These are still your nerves. Take a bubble bath or get some sleep relax a little, the hardest part is over!

Stage Nine: The Phone Call – Part II

Congratulations! You got the job and you start in a few days for training! You did all that worrying for nothing!

These are the stages of searching for a new job, trust me, it is just one huge cycle of nerves! Good luck searching!