How Much Time Should You Spend Looking for Work?

Here’s why you need to make the most of your search for quality clients

Self-employables are constantly looking for work — to the point where searching for work feels like a full-time job.

Ultimately, how much time you spend searching for work is up to you. What I recommend, however, is that you use your time searching for quality clients — not just any work you can find.

Should You Be Looking for Work or Looking for a Quality Client?

Work is work, but a quality client makes the work experience unforgettable for all the right reasons. In fact, a quality client provides you with:

1. Fair Compensation

You’re self-employed — not unemployed — and deserve a fair wage for any work you complete. A quality client understands this, and as such, offers a fair wage for quality work.

2. Reasonable Expectations

You have a life as a self-employable, along with a life outside of your career (at least that’s the hope anyway). A quality client establishes realistic expectations from the get-go, so you won’t have to worry about exorbitant work demands wreaking havoc on your personal life.

3. Guidance and Feedback

You want guidance to ensure any work you complete falls in line with a client’s mission and goals. You also want feedback so you can correct mistakes and continuously improve. A quality client delivers guidance and feedback, is open and honest with you and seeks out your guidance and feedback.

The Bottom Line on How Much Time You Should Spend Looking for Work

So, here’s my final recommendation: spend as much or as little time as you’d like looking for work. Regardless of how much time you use to explore job opportunities, seek out quality clients. By doing so, you can identify quality clients who appreciate quality work — and set the stage for a quality partnership.