Finding a job is a lot like finding a new spouse… No stick with me on this – think about it what do want from a spouse? Long term commitment, the ability to be yourself and someone you can spend time with whose company you enjoy. How about a job? Long term commitment – no one wants to be made redundant, a company where you can be yourself and be successful and as we spend so much time at work you have to get on with those around you. Now does the analogy sound as daft as you first thought?

If you take the idea even further then just like internet dating where you have to fill in plenty of tick boxes to make the website match you to your new ideal partner job hunting can be conquered the same way. If you start by sitting down and really break down everything to want in a new job and just how flexible you would be to achieve this then you will be streets ahead of your competition.

For example what about your commute? Yes most of us want to be within walking distance of our job to save on the time and cost of commuting but how far will you go? Most people tend to be rather ridged when first seeking a new job and limit the search radius to what the dream commute would be. Only once the hunt has been underway for a while do we gradually widen out focus and search further afield. This is could be a catastrophic mistake – who knows your now widen radius could have caught you that dream job in the first week but you missed it as it was in your dream commute distance! Before starting your hunt sit down and like on a dating website figure out just what you are looking for in a commute and be a bit flexible – now start working on the hunt using this commuting distance.

Now that you have taken the time to ask yourself all those tough questions and have an accurate idea of what you’re perfect spouse is going to be then we just need to find it.

Your relationships with other people can play a large part in your career hunt. This could be a simple as a family member or valued friend to help you with your CV or give you a lift to an interview. The more help you get the easier the hunt will be and could open up even more career opportunities. By telling your friends and family you are seeking a new role you have significantly increase the number of opportunities you could hear about and you might even find yourself being recommended to a friend/ family members company!

Don’t spend all day sitting around browsing the Internet looking for jobs. Allocate a maximum of 3 hours a day when you will do your job hunting and don’t restrict it to the Internet. Pick up the phone and talk to recruitment agencies, get out on the street with you CV and visit these companies you would like to work for. Spend the rest of your time doing something constructive to just sitting around watching TV.

Before you know it you have a new job you are happily married to and all of your friends are looking on with envy as to how you caught such a great new partner!