How to stop job-searching from taking up your evenings

After finishing a long day at the job you’re desperate to leave, another task awaits you: job-hunting, which can feel like a whole other job in itself. It can eat into your evening relaxation, and by the time you finally switch off for the night, you’re left with little downtime before you go to sleep, only to have to wake up and do the whole thing all over again. It can be mentally draining. 

Almost half (44%) of people in Ireland said the duration of their most recent job search was over three months from when they start looking to when they received an offer, according to our recent LinkedIn poll. That’s a substantial timeframe, which can take its toll. Preventing your job search from taking up your evenings is important for your wellbeing. Fortunately, with just a few simple adjustments, that’s easily achievable.

Swap the scrolling for job-searching 

According to a recent US study, the overwhelming majority (89%) of people check their phones within ten minutes of waking up in the morning. If you’re a self-confessed sunrise scroller, consider making better use of your morning phone time by browsing through new vacancies instead of watching social media reels. 

The same can be said for other times of day, including your train journey to work, lunch break, then travelling back home again. You’d be surprised how much your screen time adds up in a day. In fact, people in Ireland spend an average of 64 minutes per day using social media on their phones. Substituting scrolling for job-hunting can quickly tot up the minutes – even hours – spent searching for your dream job by the time you finish your working day, leaving you more time to unwind after-dark. 

Keep the job search going while you’re working 

It’s certainly not advisable to sneakily check out vacancies at your desk. However, by working with one of our specialist recruitment consultants, you can have an expert speaking to their clients about your profile and considering you for any exciting opportunities. All the while, you’re giving your full attention to your current employer. 

With a deep understanding of the job market paired with their close relationships to industry leaders, our recruitment consultants can be a valuable asset for your job search. Get in touch today to secure a specialist in your corner who will take away the need for you to spend so much time job-hunting in the evenings. 

Work smarter, not harder

To ensure maximum efficiency of your job search, use tools to cut down your time and effort output. Firstly, check what you should be getting paid with our salary calculator, so you’re not wasting time applying for roles that fall far below market rate. 

Then set up job alerts for vacancies that match your criteria and desired salary. As well as helping you stay ahead of the competition by being among the first to be notified when a new role is released, it’ll also save you a lot of time trawling through pages of jobs. Instead, job alerts will provide you with a concise list of suitable roles, meaning less time wasted looking at irrelevant vacancies in your spare time. 

Set strict limits 

It can be easy to get carried away with job-hunting – before you know it, your whole evening has disappeared. Adhering to certain boundaries can help make sure you still get some much-needed downtime in the evenings. Pause your job search while you’re eating dinner, spending quality time with loved ones, and in the hour before you go to sleep. 

By making these minor adjustments, you can make a significant difference to your job-hunting experience and allow your evenings to be a time to truly unwind from the day. 

Check out our latest vacancies – we add new roles daily!