The 20-20-60 rule is a time management strategy commonly used when job hunting. It recommends dividing your time as follows:
- 20% of your time spent applying for jobs
- 20% of your time spent networking
- 60% of your time spent working on your skills and personal brand
So when using the 20-20-60 rule for job hunting, 60% of your time should be spent working on your skills and personal brand.
Why Develop Skills and Brand for 60% of Your Job Search Time?
There are several key reasons why the 20-20-60 rule allocates the majority of time to developing skills and brand:
- Stand out from other applicants – With so much competition for jobs, you need to differentiate yourself. Spending time boosting your skills and brand will help you stand out.
- Demonstrate you are proactive – Rather than just applying for anything, you are actively trying to improve your candidacy. This shows drive and initiative.
- Build your professional value – The more skills and expertise you have, the more valuable you are to employers. This gets you hired faster.
- Align with job requirements – You can target key skills or credentials wanted for your dream job and work on them.
- Keep mind engaged – It’s mentally stimulating to learn and build your brand versus just applying for jobs.
- Show you won’t get rusty – You demonstrate that you will continue growing your skills if hired and won’t get complacent.
In short, dedicating 60% of job search time to developing your skills and personal brand pays off by making you a stronger candidate in tangible ways that appeal to employers’ interests.
Skills Development Activities
Some examples of great skills development activities to spend your time on include:
- Take classes and training – Enroll in a course, professional certification, bootcamp, seminar, or other training aligned with job goals.
- Self-study – Read books, take online classes, practice skills using tutorials/apps, or join study groups.
- Pursue higher education – Earn a degree or take university/college courses applicable to your field.
- Learn industry knowledge – Study trends, terminology, tools, workflows, and practices used in your profession.
- Gain software/tech skills – Learn new programs, coding, IT systems, and technical tools used in target roles.
- Practice job-related skills – Roleplay, simulations, volunteer work, freelancing, and side projects to apply skills.
- Do informational interviews – Talk to professionals in your industry to get advice and learn more about the field.
The specific skills you focus on should align with job descriptions and requirements for roles you want. Research job postings to identify in-demand technical abilities, software knowledge, credentials, specialized training, etc. to guide your learning priorities.
Personal Brand Building Activities
Some impactful brand building activities include:
- Update your resume – Refine and polish your resume to showcase your skills, experience, and achievements.
- Build your portfolio – Curate work samples, projects, and other products that demonstrate your abilities.
- Revamp your LinkedIn – Expand your LinkedIn profile and online presence to highlight your brand and network.
- Create or refresh your website – Design a personal website/online portfolio to exhibit your projects, knowledge, and brand image.
- Record videos – Generate YouTube, TikTok, Instagram videos to display your expertise and thought leadership.
- Write/publish content – Draft articles, blogs, whitepapers, and other content that tells your story and builds credibility.
- Volunteer – Volunteer for causes you care about to give back and expand your network.
- Prepare for interviews – Rehearse and refine how you’ll present your brand story and value in job interviews.
Essentially, your personal brand conveys what makes you unique, why you’re qualified, what value you offer, and why an employer should hire you. Dedicated brand building during your job search makes sure you can effectively communicate your competitive differentiators.
Typical Breakdown of Skill Building Time
Breaking down the 60% of time spent on skills development, you may allocate time as follows:
Skills Development Activity | Percent of 60% Time |
---|---|
Industry research and informational interviews | 15% |
Formal training and classes | 25% |
Self-directed learning and practice | 35% |
Higher education | 10% |
Assessments and skill diagnostics | 5% |
Online learning and MOOCs | 10% |
This breakdown enables you to pursue a diverse blend of skill building tactics. The mix can be adjusted based on your needs and learning preferences.
Typical Breakdown of Brand Building Time
For the 20% of time allocated to brand building, your effort may be distributed as:
Brand Building Activity | Percent of 20% Time |
---|---|
Update resume and LinkedIn profile | 35% |
Build online portfolio | 25% |
Create website | 15% |
Write online content and blogs | 10% |
Prepare for interviews | 15% |
This enables you to hit key brand building channels and assets. But you can adjust the mix based on where you feel your brand needs the most polishing.
Getting the Most from Your Time Investment
Here are some tips to maximize your time spent on skills and brand building:
- Set SMART goals – Establish specific, measurable goals to stay focused.
- Create a schedule – Structure your time into a calendar for consistency.
- Be strategic – Choose growth activities aligned with target job requirements.
- Leverage free resources – Utilize free online courses, tutorials, and tools when possible.
- Partner with others – Study with friends or join groups to motivate each other.
- Measure progress – Complete assessments, tests, and other metrics to track growth.
- Get cross-functional value – Opt for versatile skills applicable across roles and industries.
- Repurpose content – Reuse personal brand content across multiple platforms.
- Showcase end products – Share your finished work, sites, videos, and other creations.
- Learn on the go – Use phone apps, audiobooks, and pockets of downtime efficiently.
By taking a strategic approach and applying productivity tips, you can get the most mileage from the 60% time investment in elevating your skills and brand. This work will pay dividends in spotlighting your strengths to prospective employers.
Example Schedule for a Week Using 20-20-60 Rule
Here is an example schedule showing how someone could allocate time over one week based on the 20-20-60 rule:
Day | 20% Applying for Jobs | 20% Networking | 60% Skills & Brand Building |
---|---|---|---|
Monday | Submit 2 job applications | Phone call with college career center | Complete online Photoshop course tutorial |
Tuesday | Customize resume for 1 job | Connect with 2 new LinkedIn contacts | Practice coding skills via app |
Wednesday | Interview prep research | Informational interview with industry mentor | Write new portfolio case study |
Thursday | Apply to 3 new job postings | Attend online industry discussion webinar | Study data analytics terminology |
Friday | Follow up with recruiter | Ask for referral from former colleague | Record video about accomplishments for YouTube |
Saturday | Research companies to apply to | Volunteer at community event | Retake online Excel skills assessment test |
Sunday | Update job tracking spreadsheet | Share article on LinkedIn | Outline ideas and flow for website redesign |
This provides a sensible mix of job hunt activities throughout the week while devoting sufficient focus to critical skill and brand building using the 60/20/20 ratio. The time blocks and specific tasks can be adjusted as needed week to week.
Conclusion
When utilizing the proven 20-20-60 rule for job search time management, 60% of your time should be dedicated to building your skills and personal brand. This outpaces the 20% blocks spent applying for jobs and networking. Investing the majority of time in developing meaningful skills and strengthening your brand is justified, as these efforts significantly boost your qualifications and attractiveness to hiring managers in tangible, measurable ways. With competition fierce for jobs, dedicating 60% of your energy to leveling up your abilities and professional image can provide the edge needed to not just land interviews, but to secure the right job.