Only this time, you don’t have a team waiting with you. Hurry up and wait isn't a group effort anymore; your platoon or company isn't there to pitch in for the hurry and keep you company during the wait. Instead, it can feel like a solo mission, and an unwelcome one at that.
The good news is, your hurry up and wait doesn’t have to be a solo mission; and there are things you
can do to fill your wait time while lessening the panic of your hurry.
When it comes to the civilian job market's hurry up and wait, the most important factor is always time. Sometimes you have several days, a few weeks, or even a few months to apply for a job and get your documents in order. These timelines are ideal, since they let you fully read job postings, craft your targeted resume, and apply for a job feeling confident in the materials you’re providing.
However, we are trained to know that ideal scenarios are just that—ideal. And in real life, sometimes the ideal doesn’t happen. Sometimes you run across a perfect job listing with only a few hours before the deadline to submit. Sometimes you will find a job that fits your wants and your needs, but your resume isn’t targeted to that career field. Sometimes, you’ll know you should be doing something to prepare for your job search, but you won’t be able to figure out the next best move.
When you hit these moments of hurry, that’s when what you do while you wait really matters.
Waiting for a job is hard work. It takes a toll on your patience, your confidence, and your day-to-day. However, there are things you can do while you wait that will improve your chances of being ready for the next hurry… the kind of hurry that leads to a good job.
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