Staying Motivated During Your Berlin Job Search
Hiya! -
We know the realities of finding work in Berlin. It can be way hard to find a job in the German capital. It's why I created The Berlin Life in the first place.
In my time here, I've held five different visas and worked as both a freelance and permanent employee for seven different companies. I've been through lots of ups and downs, like when my freelance worked dried up for a long spell, a company downsized and laid me off, and in one case, stop paying my salary entirely. It's stressful to be cash strapped with bills piling up, while searching for a job and going through yet another visa application. I honestly still have PTSD from those days!
So what are things you can do to stay motivated during a Berlin search? Here are a handful of tips that helped me during those trying times:
1) Stay organized. When you're applying for multiple jobs, it's a good idea to start a job application tracker where you list out all of the companies to which you've applied, the latest status of your application with them, and other related details. This will guide you in knowing which companies to follow-up with and keep you aware of things you need to do next, like prepare for an interview or finish a case study. Most of all, a job application tracker will keep you sane and make you feel less overwhelmed. If you want me to share the template I use, just reply to this email.
2) Do something each day. Set aside a 2-3 hours each day to search for new job listings, email follow-up, create and submit new job applications, as well as do company research. Being active will help keep you focused on your goal of finding a new job. Additionally, make sure you set aside time for yourself for non-job related activities, be it going for a long walk or run, taking a bubble bath, playing a game, reading a book, etc. It doesn't have to be an activity that costs a lot of money, but definitely something that helps you relax, have fun, and most of all, keep healthy.
3) Check in with loved ones. You may find your motivation getting low from time to time, especially if you're not hearing back from companies or you're getting rejected during the recruitment process. One of the best things I did, was to stay in touch with loved ones whether it was a quick video chat, a text message, or hanging out with friends outside of my home. They reminded me to stay positive, keep calm, and ultimately, gave me tons of love and support when I really needed it.
4) Get support from other job seekers. Sometimes, it's great to ask questions from other job seekers, get tips from them, or even just vent your frustrations. Join our Facebook group and start a discussion now. You can also join us on Discord if you're not a Facebook fan.
5) Personalize your job applications. When you're submitting new job applications, make sure you personlize them for each company. This will help guarantee a higher response rate. If you're not sure how to approach CV's or cover letter, browse our free guides, ask in the Facebook group, or check out our career guides.
Whatever you're feeling, we hope you don't feel alone and you can be reassured, we're there to help. If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to reach out at hello@theberlinlife.com.
Sending all of the positive vibes,