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We’ve all been there: waiting to hear if you got the job (or not). These moments may rank as some of the longest you can remember. Will you be penning your resignation, or did you lose out to another candidate?

Instead of: Waiting anxiously for the call to come in…

Try: Putting this time (and your nervous energy) to good use.

1. Take stock of the situation. When exactly are you supposed to hear from the recruiter or HR contact? Do you have a timeline? Sometimes you don’t get a firm date by when you can expect to hear about an offer. This means days and weeks can go by with no word. Does that mean you didn’t get the job, but the recruiter didn’t close the loop (ghosting, it happens!)? Or is there an unexpected delay on their end? All this time you spend worrying, you may be missing out on other employment opportunities.

If you don’t have a clear timeframe, call or email your point of contact and ask: When will I know when you have made a decision? By taking charge you will feel more in control, and be better able to plan your next move if it doesn’t work out.

2. Evaluate other opportunities. While it’s a good rule of thumb to not put all your eggs in one job-hunting basket, it’s very easy to forget this (or throw it out altogether) when a job offer seems imminent. While you wait, take some time to keep the career momentum going.

Schedule concurrent interviews, explore a potential opportunity or company that interests you, or reach out to someone in your network for a long-overdue coffee date. This will remind you that you are an ideal candidate for many employment opportunities – not just one – and that many employers (plural!) would be lucky to have you.

3. Work on your personal branding. You are in charge of the perception you want others to have of you, and developing that perception requires consistent attention. Now is one of the BEST times to tend to your personal branding. You have worked on your resume, polished your answers to interview questions, and probably put some work into your LinkedIn profile. So why stop now that (maybe) your job hunt is coming to an end?

Evaluate your marketing tools and how they tell your career story. Make sure your skills, strengths, and recent accomplishments are on full display. Chances are you have learned (a lot) about who you are, or at least something new, when job hunting. Put that newfound knowledge into your personal branding tools now, while it’s fresh.

While waiting to hear about an offer can be the hardest part of job hunting, there are so many things you can do to use this time wisely. Take charge of this phase of your career, like you would any other. You may not only feel better, but actually come to enjoy the wait. Good luck!

Are you starting a new job soon, or is finding a new job one of your goals? If so, you are probably familiar with the concept of onboarding – or, how your new employer will bring you into the company culture, share policies and procedures, and set you up for success.

It’s certainly nice to be welcomed and taken care of in the first few days of employment. But what I find even more powerful (as a former HR professional) is teaching you (yes, you, the new employee) how to participate in the onboarding process and start taking charge of your career from day one.

Instead of:
Approaching your onboarding experience prepared to (mostly) listen and intake….

Try:
Taking an active role…

1. Start setting goals. Your first day or two of employment is a great time to set goals. It is likely that during your interview you discussed ideas that could make an immediate impact in your new role. Now is the time to expand on those. Challenge yourself to think: What do I want to achieve in the next 30 days? What is a realistic, S.M.A.R.T goal? Then think further out: What is my 90-day goal? What do I want to achieve – and share – in my six-month evaluation?

2. Network with your new colleagues. What is one of – if not the best part – of onboarding? You are a “newbie,” and your fellow co-workers are primed to welcome and get to know you. This is the perfect time to step into networking mode. Develop an elevator pitch to give others a short intro as to who you are and kick-start these conversations. Identify the people you expect to collaborate with most often, especially in other departments. Get to know HR and others who are responsible for transitioning you into the organization. This is a great time to practice introducing yourself to someone cold – and chances are, your advances will be reciprocated.

3. Commit to following through. Acting on your goals is the difference between dreaming about what could be, and seeing it come to fruition. Once your onboarding program is complete, decide what your next step will be: Discussing your goals with your manager? Clarifying a company policy or procedure? Tracking your achievements? Determine what comes next, and make it happen.

Onboarding presents a key opportunity to start building your career at this new company, shaping how others perceive you, and carving out important goals that will make you successful in your new role. Enjoy this exciting time in your career – and make the most of it!