It can feel really overwhelming to start a job search.

For a lot of mission-driven professionals, there are more questions than answers before you get started.

You might be curious about a change, worry about your qualifications, feel burned out in your current job or just not know where to start.

Or you could experience ALL of that.

And this means that there is plenty of time for uncertainty and fear to set in and further derail your efforts.

No matter how tempting it might be, you can’t do everything all at once.

We’ve found that it’s much easier to help our clients focus on what’s within their control by streamlining the process using milestones.

These mini goals set you up for long term success, give you a way to focus your time and energy, and each one is worth celebrating along the way.

The challenges that our clients bring to the job search are not just about their resume.

In order to effectively transform their job search, we need to keep in mind other common struggles that they are likely experiencing managing their time and priorities, feeling overwhelmed by making big career decisions, lacking confidence in moving their search forward, feeling awkward about asking for help and general procrastination

You can see that our job isn’t just about job search strategy, per se.

It’s also about making sure our clients have new behavior to actually implement the strategies.

Our strategic framework is not just about landing a new job, but about helping job seekers successfully manage their time and expectations, build clarity and confidence, and take care of themselves along the way.

A job search requires some important (and obvious) tasks like setting up job search filters, a good LinkedIn update, and some changes to your resumes and cover letters.

But you know what else your job search requires?

Time.

Assuming you’re eager to land a new job, it’s important to be consistent and creative in your job search.

Here are my strategies for staying productive in your job search, even when you don’t see a lot of opportunities for you to apply to.

I’m going to cut right to the chase here and say it: most of my clients do not love LinkedIn.

They know that they “should” be there.

They know that they “should” be investing time in developing new relationships and building new connections.

But mostly, they log in, scroll, feel overwhelmed by endless self promotional content of #thoughtleaders - and log right back out.

I completely get it.

And, I still think it’s very worthwhile to use LinkedIn to maintain relationships, nurture new ones and find new opportunities.

The key is to really take ownership over your LinkedIn experience!

Whether you’re looking for a new job or hoping to figure out your next steps, I want to offer 11 ways to make LinkedIn work for you so you can meet your professional goals.

Sharing your own experiences and insights can help you better understand your own strengths.

Helping others identify their own talents and make important connections can help establish you as a leader and mentor and solidify your own professional network.

In short, nobody loses when friends and colleagues work together to help support one another.

Here are six ways you can help “fill up the pot” and support someone else’s career:

Most people only get up close and personal with their own job search.

But career coaches get to observe lessons in being brave, failure, fear, risk, asking for help, trying something new, showing up, and changing your mind all of the time.

Here's what career coaches know about the job search that the average job-seeker may not!