Some people seem to keep up with the race pretty well. You just heard about them looking for new jobs last week, and now they are ready for the interviews and even trainings. While that, some people may spend months to find a new job and yet they do not know how long the position will last. What makes the differences?

Everything depends on you. You buy the condition. The process, or people can just call it cycle, starts from the first time you prepare for job search. The differences can mean months of being unemployed. That is considerable and you certainly do not want to wait longer. Nevertheless, ineffective job search is usually the second big problem after your own mental state. Here are some tips to make your job search effective.

1. Prepare yourself mentally. Be ready to promote your qualifications and strengths. You will never do wrong when you are confident with it. Just make sure you tell everything as it is and be natural. Different job positions will require different personalities. Just be yourself. Start from fields and positions that you like most. If you have tried for several times and still do not get approved, maybe it is not the best job for you. Don’t worry about that. You will have better luck next time. Start applying for other types of positions. You may not realize if a specific position is the most passionate job that suits you best before you let it flow. Feel good about the chances waiting in front of the door. Many companies are looking for employees they can rely on. Many ideas are waiting to be implemented by the right person. You mostly pass the good chances when you are pessimistic and think negatively.

2. Prepare yourself technically. It is about the curriculum vitae, cover letter, and other “job search kit” you should prepare. During the search period, make sure your CV is always updated and ready to promote you anytime. You can find a prospective job unexpectedly and need to send resume as soon as possible. Also, collect all the relevant information. If you have a website, an independent business, resumes, or any other attribute that can add value, attach the information. Most job positions will prefer CV that sounds professional. Pick your best email address if you have some. When you have sent it to companies, be ready for phone calls, emails, and maybe faxes.

3. Be active in the job search. Being unemployed, or getting ready to resign from the current job, it is the perfect moment to explore all the possibilities. Make account at job listing or employment sites, browse the available positions, find more information about what sound interesting, and submit the already planned well application letter. Don’t limit yourself. It is too soon to do that. You can also get information about vacant positions from friends, family, newspaper, radio, and else. It is usually effective to find job posting from network because they may know the information before the information is made public. Yet not all jobs are opened for public. So just tell your acquaintances and family. They can refer you if they know a job will suit your interest and talent.

Alex Wu operates a classified ads website that lets people advertise, build groups, and connect. He hopes to create an active environment for businesses to place their part time jobs.

Working while studying is a good idea to learn new things and develop your skills. It is not just about the academic skills, but also soft skills that will be valued a lot when you later work professionally or start a business. But as part time jobs also mean more responsibility, students often find difficulties in balancing between their study and work. For sure, there are more to consider, manage, and sacrifice. But part time jobs really help you to learn the steps ahead earlier. They can be good for your resume too. Here are some tips to help you find the middle point between study and part time work.

1. Plan your time well. There should be no conflict between study and work. Once you know your class schedule, you can make arrangement about the work shifts and study schedules. It is not easy to be discipline with time, but that is the important thing you learn when taking part time jobs. Set the time, and try your best to finish all on schedule. Of course it does not need to be that strict. Some people do better with “spontaneous” scheduling, some can not. The point is to fulfill all your responsibilities. Make evaluation. When every college task is finished on time, when your grade does not go worse, and when you still get praises at the work place, then it means you are doing all right.

2. Be efficient and flexible. Part time jobs can take from 18 to over 30 hours per week. You lose that much for study and fun time. There is no way to keep the days run the same. What is possible is to learn to be efficient and flexible. You need to understand about the ‘sacrifices’ you have committed to. It is not necessarily so, but it is really about better time management.

By being efficient, you can think of bringing your text book or small notes during commuting and read them while waiting, or focusing on one work at a time so that it finishes right at the time and you can move on to the next task. If you know the schedule is strict, then get prepared for the day. By being flexible, you can think of doing what you like and need to do in unplanned but still controllable manners. You have to let go some things, for sure. But they can be offset pretty well if you love what you do and try to be flexible. Part time is not killing you.

3. Keep your body fit. Eat good food, do enough exercise, and take enough sleep at night. Now it starts to sound like health tips. But this is just the general rules of long term health we all need to know. What is worrying is that students often forget this, especially when they live out of the home. Make sure you maintain enough nutrients intake and exercise routinely. They will keep you fit all day long to do the tasks. Take enough sleep so that you can concentrate and feel energetic until the end of the day. Avoid junk foods, alcohols, other junk drinks like soda, and greasy foods. Take enough vegetables and fruits. They will cost you cheaper too in long term.

Alex Wu operates a classifieds website that lets people advertise, build groups, and connect. He hopes to create an active environment for businesses to place their part time jobs.