By: Beth Braccio Hering  Source: FlexJobs

Do you feel like you’re struggling to keep your job search alive? Could your dead job search use a little CPR? Try the five strategies listed below to revive your motivation level.

1. Create your ideal job description

Spent so much time applying to anything and everything that you’re not even sure what a “good” job looks like anymore? Gain some clarity and a renewed sense of excitement by trying this suggestion from Katy Imhoff, CEO and president of Camden Kelly Corporation:

Write an ad for your dream job. What would the company be like? What kind of growth and learning opportunities would they offer you? What work-life balance benefits would they have? This creative exercise can help you focus on what you want, help you narrow down your search, and keep you motivated to look for a job that resembles the one you’ve been dreaming about!

2. Set your sights higher

A lack of initial success oftentimes leads job hunters to shoot lower in their job search. However, this strategy can backfire both in terms of how employers view you and how you see yourself.

“Getting a job is hard enough work without trying to get a job you really don’t want,” says Carlota Zimmerman, The Creativity Yenta. “Potential employers want to experience your interest and your passion. If you’re phoning it in (during your job search), that will immediately come across and be held against you. Who wants a new team member who doesn’t want to be there? Challenge yourself to take your job search up a notch, or ten, and apply for your dream job.”

3. Get out of the house

Logging hour after hour in front of a computer can be lonely—and not always the best use of time. Many positions never make it to job boards because they are filled by word of mouth. Stepping up networking efforts increases visibility and boosts spirits.

Julie Austin of Fun Job Fairs suggests volunteering because it gets you out of your own situation and makes you stand out from other job seekers as someone who gives back. “Find an event like a golf tournament, auction, or party that will have a lot of top executives in attendance,” she suggests. “Make sure you get a leadership position that puts you in direct contact with these executives. Let them see your personality and your work ethic, like being a caddy at the golf tournament. I’ve had clients who were able to get into doors they could never get in on their own by making friends with celebrities and executives at a charity event.”

4. Think like a marketer

Don’t distance others by coming across as a needy job seeker. Rather, re-position yourself as a marketer tasked with promoting a valuable product—you!

“Marketers are always trying to learn and improve,” says Rick Carlile, founder of Aegora.com. “Ask yourself the same questions they do. Why hasn’t your marketing worked so far? What can you do to improve it? Are you targeting the right people? What are their pain points, and how does your product solve them? Are you packaging your product optimally? What could you do to grab their attention better?”

5. Be a little bolder in your approach

Lastly, consider taking on a new challenge. You’ll get the creative juices flowing, and the novelty may be the perfect way to perk up spirits.

David Bakke, career expert at Money Crashers, offers this unusual idea:

Try posting yourself and your resume on eBay as a product to be sold. You are the product, put your desired salary as the asking price, and then list it as a bid auction. Send the link to your potential employers, and they should be intrigued by your creativity.

Find what re-energizes you. Enroll in a class on a topic of interest—it will give you something new to talk about and demonstrate your dedication to lifelong learning. Design your own website to showcase accomplishments. Attend your first alumni event in 15 years. The sky is the limit!

For more career advice, check out our blog!