The knee jerk reaction is to start applying to everything and anything, but is this the best strategy?

Although it’s important to secure a job in as little time as possible, taking a few extra steps before the job search is important as well.

Relax and take a day off

Most people we talk to jump right into the job search, but there are a lot of things going on that need to be addressed. The most important is dealing with your well-being and positive mental health. Take a day to get a hair cut, sit down at a coffee pub, go to the gym or go shopping (maybe window shopping, after all you just lost your job!) The point is to decompress and think about your career situation. Find out what you liked and disliked about your job. Chances are you’ll find something better suited to your skills and objectives.

Plan for the next steps

Get a sheet of paper, open a Word doc, or whatever you need and write down some points about what type of job you would like to obtain. Having a plan is important when you decide to tackle your resume. Remember, a good resume speaks to specific job, not the person writing it.

Next next steps

It’s time to set up some files on your computer so you can easily record the types of jobs that you applied, dates and don’t forget to copy the job descriptions as they tend to disappear after the job closes. You will need these for the interview.

Start applying

Use your friends, their friends, recruiters, job boards, databases and some social media tools, like LinkedIn. Cater the resume to the jobs and make sure that each has a specific cover letter to accompany all documents.

There are a few more steps that can occur, but this should get you started. Good luck and share this article with your friends. They will shower you with flowers and technology products.