When it comes to applications, it's quality over quantity

I already have a New Year's resolution, and for the most part, I'm sticking to it. I got a gym membership (!) and I've actually been using it almost every day, with no sign of stopping anytime soon. I'm giving myself a pat on the back for that one. But the other day, I made another resolution - to try to apply to five jobs every week. To me, this didn't seem like too daunting a task.

I even designated a chunk of time to work on this goal, and nothing else. This can be pretty tough for me sometimes, because more often than not, I tend to let my schoolwork get in the way of my job search. Already, things were looking pretty good. It was a Friday afternoon, I had already visited the gym, and I had a list of saved jobs on my Indeed.com homepage, ready and waiting for me.

But once I began researching these positions, their respective companies, and any current employees that I might be able to network with, I realized that - if done right - this seemingly easy "routine" of applying to a few jobs a week might take longer than I thought. In the few hours that I had set aside for the Employment Effort, I sent a ton of e-mails, LinkedIn messages and invitations to join my network. I added notes to each of my saved listings on Indeed, of who I contacted via what mode of communication, their position, and my relationship to this person (past employer, UM alumnus, etc.) Now what?

Because it is always better to have a direct contact at whatever companies I apply to, I know that it is worth the wait for the (potentially quite few) responses that I will receive. For the time being, the ball isn't in my court anymore. And I'm okay with that. I was even able to set up a few calls about certain positions and/or organizations, although they might only be informational interviews; I'm not sure. If people don't get back to me, I'll probably try again this weekend. If round two is similarly unsuccessful, I'll either try to find some other contacts or just go ahead and apply for those jobs.

Bottom line is, while goals are absolutely important, it's important to make sure these goals are realistic and truly in your best interest. Even though I left the UgLi yesterday feeling completely depressed/unproductive/like a waste of space, I know that all of my communication efforts aren't for nothing. In my opinion, it's way better to go into a job application prepared than to simply pump out copied-and-pasted cover letters and resumes. I think? Hopefully, I'll actually see some results. Stay tuned!