They said when opportunity knocks at your door, be sure to grab it. But what if you are the one knocking to someone’s else door  for opportunities? Will that door be easily open?

Well, looking for opportunities like job opportunities, is really a struggle. You need to exert much effort for you to look for one. Not only effort, but you have to spend an incredible amount of time. Effort and time are useless, without your determination, patience and perseverance. Because of course, not all doors will be open for you. Also, most of the time, you need a key to open that door. The key maybe your connections, the company, the recruiters, or maybe luck or maybe it’s just you.

Whatever it is that makes the door open, be sure that when it opens, you will do your best to get out of that door bringing with you an employment contract. But also make sure, you just don’t grab any opportunity, choose the one that you feel matches your desire and your dreams.

But the question really here is, when do we start exploring or looking for job opportunities?

Check these advices from some recruiters on when you should start exploring for job opportunities.

1. One to three months before graduation.

Yes, you read it right. This time span may be long or short depending on someone’s perspective. For some people who already plan ahead their life, who value time as a gold asset and think in advance that the job market is in huge competition, they will start applying for jobs as early as three months, two months or a month before graduation. Well, that is a wise thing to do actually. 

“Better three hours too soon than one minute too late.” – William Shakespeare

Because most employers will take 3, 2 or a month of job hiring period. After that period, they will start to review applications, so it’s not a waste to submit in advance even if you are still three months before graduation. Who knows, you will be shortlisted, then be interviewed and after graduation, you will be hired. So great, right? Earning a degree and earning a job at the same time. So, you will  not spend anymore months of job hunting after graduation since you have been  wise already applying before graduation. Try it. It may work for you.

1. Immediately after graduation.

“The bad news is time flies but the good news is you’re the pilot.” – Michael Altshuler

I remember I attended a graduation ceremony and the speaker said, “After today’s graduation, tomorrow, start looking for a job.” I laughed because I didn’t understand at that time. I was thinking, “Hey I am still tired from the whole five years of being a student in College and you want me to find a job the day after my graduation? Give me a break!” 

Actually, I realized now, the speaker was right. Because you are not the only graduate who will be looking for a job. Millions or more than will be competing for a certain job. So it is also a wise decision to immediately look for a job after graduation. It will help us be considered immediately since most of the graduates still feel lazy to job hunt after graduation or have decided to have a break first. Never waste an opportunity to land a job.

1. When you feel you need to.

It really happens in our work life that we feel we don’t get what we expect from the job we are working. Maybe because we become tired already of doing repetitive tasks and we see we are not being appreciated and our salary has not been raised and we feel we are not growing anymore. This is the time that we feel we have the need to explore another job opportunities. It doesn’t mean we will immediately leave  our present job, of course we cannot, but at the moment we realized that we have the need to start looking for another one, then we should really start looking.

“Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer serves you, grows you or makes you happy.” – Robert Tew

In every decision we make regarding our work life, we should make sure that we will benefit from it. We need to think more than twice. We should consider all the consequences of our actions and plan very carefully our decisions. Because once we already say goodbye, we cannot plead our employers to accept us again once our plans fail. Bear in mind, what you are really looking for, that makes you think you need to look for other job opportunities. Be sure of your decision because you will take risks. 

One important advice is not to leave your present job when it’s not yet sure that you will be accepted from the other job you are applying for. You don’t want to lose your income right? Be wise.

1. Everyday

The last advice is actually the most perfect one. Because nothing is really permanent in this world. Everyone is replaceable. Everything has an end. So, it is much wiser to always look for opportunities. 

“Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don’t.” – Steve Maraboli

It doesn’t mean you don’t know how to be satisfied. It simply means you are just open for a more attractive opportunity for you and for the worst , you are just preparing if things go wrong.

Businesses sometimes come to a certain point where they need to cut the number of employees because the business is not good anymore or they will ultimately stop the business operations. So, when you constantly look for opportunities, when things happen like this, at least you already have a back-up.

So really, when should we start exploring for opportunities? The answer? It’s really up to you.

Because whatever people say, for example they say, “start now, explore now”, but you are unwilling, then it’s useless. Yes, you start looking for opportunities but you don’t feel doing it, again it’s useless. Even if plenty of jobs are being offered in the market but you are not interested, then it’s still useless.

“Sometimes you have to choose which stairs to take, without knowing they are just bringing you to the same path.” – Unknown

Properly decide within yourself, whether you are still undergraduate, just graduated or employed already or unemployed yet, it’s always your decision. Because if you don’t really have the interest in looking for opportunities, you are just wasting your time. Make sure whatever your decision, it will make you happy. So whatever the result, still, you are determined. Just do your best. You can’t do anything about others’ decisions and what’s happening in the world, but you have a control over yours.

Looking for opportunities in life is like also looking for your perfect match. Make sure to enjoy looking for it and make sure you know what job opportunity is really a perfect match for you. No regrets, no surrender. You may be surprised one day, that, that job opportunity – your perfect match comparison, is already knocking at your door or you are already knocking at his door. Be willing to work and be willing to wait.

“There is really no exact time for everything because time itself is constantly moving. You just have to move also with time and do what you can…” – Unknown