We’re on the cusp of another hot Florida summer and it’s in the summer that I tend to feel the most lethargic. Why move when it’s so hot? my inner nine year old whines. That same feeling isn’t uncommon among job seekers; all too often the summer months can zap our motivation to do anything but drape ourselves across the nearest oscillating fan.

Want to use that summer heat to fuel your career?

Make Sure That You Have a Schedule: When you’re looking for work, make sure that you stick to a schedule of job hunting. Make time every day to check job sites, email contacts, or update your business-based Facebook or Twitter feed. Take the time to create some computer-created business cards so you can toot your own horn.

Stay Motivated: Become a one-person pep rally. You have to believe in yourself and get obsessed with finding a job. Get obsessed with what you want to do and stay obsessed. Read blogs and books that make you feel more inspired, not less. Surround yourself with friends who support your motivation and your goals. Somewhere, someone has done it. Someone has beaten the odds and come out on top, with their dreams fully intact. So will you.

Ignore the Headlines: A recent column stated understandable concern about the discrepancy between Obama’s reported 8.3% unemployment rate and the fact that over 100 million people in America either can’t find work or aren’t working at all. Being determined about finding a job may not change the dire job situation in America and it won’t change what the headlines say, but it will make focus on your goals. Hopefully, renewing that fire in your belly will keep your own sense of determination and motivation alive. There is no substitute for not giving up.

By Marissa Cohen

Photo By TalentEgg