Application Season: How To Stay Motivated in the Hunt for a Grad Scheme

Whether you have been looking for 2 weeks or 4 months, it can be easy to lose momentum and enthusiasm during the never-ending grad scheme hunt.

 The first thing to remember is that you are not alone in this feeling, and you can be assured that it is completely normal to be feeling unmotivated at this point.

Here are some top tips for maintaining momentum to keep you on track. 

What exactly are you contributing each day?

One key tip for making this process bearable is setting goals — mapping out your day to avoid the repetitive cycle of application after application. It can be so helpful to have a clear, visual plan for how you can use your energy in the most time-effective way, for example:

This visual strategy can not only put your mind at ease to keep yourself reassured you are doing enough, but it can make the workload significantly more manageable, grouping similar activities into the same day.

When was the last time you saw sunlight?

One essential activity to factor into your daily plan is at least one trip outside, for either a run, a dog walk or just 30 minutes soaking in the sun in the garden. 

Staying cooped up inside at your desk can be hugely detrimental to your experience of the application process. Not only will the fresh air positively affect your mental health, relieving stress and calming nerves, but a walk can also prove massively helpful in improving your executive functioning abilities to remain focused, strengthen your memory and boost energy.

Is there ever a bad time for a treat?

My most important tip for maintaining your sanity on the job hunt is to consistently treat yourself! Rather than beating yourself up when you receive a rejection, try taking the opposite approach and treating yourself with compassion, much like a friend or family member would. 

This could be as simple as taking yourself out for a coffee, or spending an hour doing one of your favourite hobbies to reward yourself for getting as far as you did. 

Psychologists have found that this type of self-compassion can enhance performance as well as professional growth. 

Don’t let it consume you! What have you achieved so far?

It can be easy to let yourself treat the job hunt as a full-time job. While this might seem the most effective way to secure a grad scheme, time off can help you reflect on what you have achieved so far. 

Working 24/7 could lead to a lack of focus. You might even find yourself applying for a role you didn’t want in the first place. It’s essential to strike up an application/life balance.

It’s also important you see every successful stage in the application stage as an incredible achievement. Don’t compare yourself to others; treat all your rejections as a chance to learn. Follow up on unsuccessful applications and ask for feedback, this can be invaluable in securing the next job!

Good luck with your grad scheme applications and remember, you’ve already done so well to get this far, keep up the good work!