en

Services

We understand that no two organisations are the same. Find out more about how we've customised our talent solutions to help clients in Hong Kong meet their needs.

Read more
Jobs

Let our industry specialists listen to your aspirations and present your story to the organisations in Hong Kong that fit you the best as we collaborate to write the next chapter of your successful career.

See all jobs
Candidates

Together, we’ll map out career-defining, life-changing pathways to achieve your career ambitions. Browse our range of services, advice, and resources.

Learn more
Services

We understand that no two organisations are the same. Find out more about how we've customised our talent solutions to help clients in Hong Kong meet their needs.

Read more
About Robert Walters Hong Kong

Since our establishment in 1997, our belief remains the same: Building strong relationships with people is vital in a successful partnership.

Learn more

Work for us

Our people are the difference. Hear stories from our people to learn more about a career at Robert Walters Hong Kong

Learn more

10 ways to stay motivated while job hunting

Have you found yourself back on the job hunt? As employers make cutbacks on promotions, training opportunities and unfortunately, in some cases, their headcount, you may feel overwhelmed and directionless when job hunting in a post-pandemic market. However, while you may feel like your career has taken a backwards step, it’s important not to allow this ‘bump in the road’ to stall your career.

Whether you’re re-entering the jobs market, or your job hunting for the very first time, the process of looking for your dream job, applying for jobs and interviewing (and interviewing remotely) for jobs can be daunting for anyone, especially if you feel like you’re stuck in a rut. Keeping up a positive morale and staying optimistic all of the time can be difficult. 

So, in our Keeping Your Career on Track series, our recruitment specialists have outlined top ten tips to stay motivated on the path to your dream job:

1. Create a plan

Start with the basics. Ask yourself questions such as ‘What companies are top of my priority list?’. Outlining even your top five preferred companies can help you to devise a smart and targeted plan for your job search. Next steps include researching your chosen top five and learning about the companies, competitors in their industry, skills requirements, employment offers and career growth opportunities to figure out what it is you're looking for and how your skill set matches up. Firming up a clear plan can help you tick the boxes along the way and stay on track.

2. Set targets

Set realistic goals for yourself i.e. instead of setting out to apply to 20 jobs in one day, go for quality rather than quantity. Starting with small but effective actions such as cleaning up your LinkedIn profile, following target businesses and connecting with the right people in your industry, will help expose you to your opportunities of interest. Setting unrealistic targets will only leave you dissatisfied when you cannot reach them.

3. Visualise it

Where can you see yourself working? Visualise your dream job - your dream job title, company, salary, location. Picturing yourself in your ideal situation, while also visualising the end result, can help you remind yourself why you’re doing this and what you’re doing it for. Creating a ‘vision board’ can help with this.

4. Create a portfolio of testimonials

Creating a collection of any testimonials you might have, can help remind yourself of your skills and talents that you perhaps have not highlighted on your CV. This can be anything from a LinkedIn endorsement, to a client review, or a manager’s feedback. While you can reference these testimonials to potential employers during the interview process, they also benefit your personal motivation. Take time to acknowledge your accomplishments and be proud of how far you’ve come.  

5. Subscribe to motivational speakers

Research motivational speakers and subscribe to watch or read their content. You might be surprised at how watching one ‘Ted Talk’ for example, can spark an idea or give you that extra push you were looking for. Once you’ve found speakers you identify with, set up alerts so you’re notified of their new content, that way you’ll never miss an opportunity to learn!  

6. Subscribe to industry specific blogs

Use this time to surround yourself with leaders in your industry. Keeping up to date with their content can allow you to become familiar with the market and any industry specific updates or advancements. Becoming more knowledgeable about the industry will allow you to engage in a higher standard of discussion at interview stage.

Becoming more knowledgeable about the industry will allow you to engage in a higher standard of discussion at interview stage.

 

 

7. Create a gratitude journal

It’s important to remind yourself of all of the things you are grateful for, both personally and professionally. A great way to stay motivated is to write down three things at the end of each day that you are thankful for. Reading back on these points at the end of the week can help highlight all of the positives and push through uncertainties or insecurities that have been holding back your job search.

8. Give back

The best way to feel valued, is to support and show appreciation for others. Give back to those around you who may help you along your job hunt journey by sending  a thank you note. On a broader level, from volunteering for a local cause, raising money for charity, to helping out with a project you believe in, charitable acts put you in good stead to build positive relationships, add more strings to your bow and realise that your actions make an impact.

9. Surround yourself with the right people

Some people lift you up, motivate you and bring out the best in you. Surround yourself with these kinds of people, who want what’s best for you. The positive energy of a strong support network will encourage you to push on and strive for the right role for you.

10. Be kind to yourself

When things don’t go as planned, the first person we are hard on is often ourselves. It is important to be kind to yourself during this process. Encourage yourself the way you would like someone else to support you during a job search, and remember your value doesn’t decrease just because someone else hasn’t noticed it yet. Keep on going until your potential is seen and heard by the right employer. 

Share this article

Useful links

Sign up for job alerts
Salary Survey
Career Advice
Get in touch

Find out more by contacting one of our specialist recruitment consultants

Related content

View all
How to bounce back from a redundancy

Redundancy: with all its associations of uncertainty and anxiety, it’s a word that employees dread and a reality that many are facing. While you may think your chances of finding new employment immediately are slim, there are steps you can take now to help you move forward. Our experts share their a

Read More
Six things to consider before becoming a contractor

Contracting is a fantastic opportunity for you to take control of your career, and for some people, it’s the best decision they’ll ever make. But, leaving a permanent role doesn’t come without risks, so don’t let yourself get caught out by thinking the grass is always greener on the contracting side

Read More
Top tips for dealing with pre-interview nerves

It’s natural to feel anxious before an interview. But as these tips show, by preparing well and adopting the right attitude you can learn to control your pre-interview nerves and channel them into something positive. Do your research A lot of the anxiety surrounding interviews is based on not knowin

Read More

I'm Robert Walters, Are you?

Come join our global team of creative thinkers, problem solvers and game changers. We offer accelerated career progression, a dynamic culture and expert training.