It is important your job search is well planned, with clearly defined key milestones along the way. While there may be a catalyst for your decision to move on from your current employer and an outcome you're after, many job seekers fail to identify the steps required to get from A to B.
Your job search may take six months, and during that time, you need to:
Conduct research into potential organisations of interest
Initiate conversations and network with key people in the industry
Apply for suitable roles
Attend interviews
Negotiate an offer
Without laying out the road-map and following it through, you may find time is wasted applying for roles that don't align with your overall career plan.
As we all know, it can be a frustrating process so it's important to celebrate the successes along the way. All interviews you attend and networking events you have the opportunity to be a part of, are steps towards securing your dream job. They help to build confidence, and identify weaknesses you can address as you move forward, so enjoy these situations and learn from them.
There is nothing worse than being ill-prepared for the long-awaited opportunity to interview, so make sure this doesn't happen. Use the time prior to securing an interview to prepare for the big occasion. A lot of the information you gathered when compiling a road-map will be useful in articulating why you have embarked on the job search and what you are hoping to achieve.
As you go through the emotional roller coaster of the job hunt, there may be times you want to quit, but remembering your road-map and the goal of landing your dream job will keep you focused.