How many work search activities for unemployment required weekly in Washington ESD?

Thanks! Do I need to document all 3 activities somewhere specific or just keep my own records?

Keep detailed records yourself - job title, company, date, method of contact. Washington ESD can audit your job search log at any time.

Same here, I do 4-5 activities because I'm paranoid about Washington ESD finding issues with my job search efforts.

That's smart thinking. What types of activities do you usually count?

Mostly online applications, but I also count attending virtual job fairs and networking through LinkedIn when I make actual contact with recruiters.

Never heard of that service before but sounds useful for getting through Washington ESD's phone system.

I might need to try that if I can't get through on my own. The phone lines are always busy when I call.

Yeah it's definitely worth it when you're stuck and need answers fast. Beats sitting on hold for hours.

It's definitely 3 activities per week for most claimants. You might want to double-check your requirements because doing only 2 could lead to problems if Washington ESD audits your claim.

Oh crap... I better start doing 3 then. Thanks for the heads up!

This is exactly why the work search requirements are so confusing. Washington ESD needs to make this clearer.

Good point about standby status. I'm not in that situation but it's important for others to know.

I'm on standby and don't have to do any work search activities right now. It depends on your specific claim type.

4 months is rough. Are you finding that certain types of activities work better than others?

Online applications are easiest to document, but networking events sometimes lead to better opportunities even if they don't result in immediate applications.

Hang in there! The job search grind is real but something will come through.

Volunteer work doesn't typically count as a work search activity for Washington ESD. The activities need to be directly related to seeking paid employment.

Darn, that's what I was afraid of. Guess I need to find other activities to hit my 3 per week.

Volunteering is great for networking though! You might meet people who know about job openings.

That's a great system! Do you have a template you'd be willing to share?

I just use a basic Excel sheet with columns for Date, Company, Job Title, How Applied, and Notes. Nothing fancy but it works.

Smart to keep detailed records. I use a notebook but digital is probably better for searching later.

Each separate job application typically counts as its own activity, even if it's with the same employer. Just make sure you're applying for genuinely different positions.

Perfect, that helps me reach my 3 activities easier when big companies have multiple openings.

Good to know updating LinkedIn counts! I spent time on that yesterday and wasn't sure if it qualified.

Yep, as long as it's substantive work toward finding employment, it usually counts. Just document what you did specifically.

I count updating my Indeed profile and refreshing job alerts as activities when I don't have enough applications for the week.

I feel this so much. Sometimes I spend more time on the paperwork and documentation than actually searching for jobs.

It is what it is though. The alternative is no unemployment benefits, so I just treat it like part of the job search process.

True, I'd rather do the paperwork and keep getting benefits than skip it and risk everything.

How much does something like that cost? I'm already tight on money being unemployed.

I'd rather not get into pricing here, but for me it was worth it to get quick answers instead of spending days trying to reach someone. Check their site for current info.

That's exactly what I needed to hear! I've been putting off my job search until the end of the week and stressing about it.

Yeah, getting it done Monday-Wednesday makes the rest of the week less stressful. Plus fresh job postings get more attention from employers.

I do the same thing. Monday morning I knock out 3-4 applications and then I'm free to focus on quality applications the rest of the week.

Yes, attending approved workshops and training sessions through WorkSource typically counts as work search activities. Make sure to get documentation of your attendance.

Awesome! That makes it easier to hit my 3 activities while actually learning useful skills.

Good advice! I've been doing mostly online applications but should probably diversify my approach.

Exactly. Plus networking has led to my best job leads even though it's harder to document than clicking 'apply' online.

How do you document networking activities for Washington ESD? That seems harder to prove than applications.

I write down who I talked to, when, where, and what we discussed career-wise. LinkedIn messages work too if you screenshot the conversations.

Same here! This has been super helpful. Good luck with your job search everyone.

This is why I love these forums. Real people helping each other navigate the Washington ESD system.

That makes sense. Quality over quantity while still meeting the minimum requirements.

Yeah I learned this the hard way. Got called in for an eligibility review and had to explain why I was applying for CEO positions with no management experience.

Exactly. Stay within reason for your background and career level. Washington ESD wants to see genuine job search effort, not just box-checking.

Agreed! The official info is so vague compared to what everyone shared here.

Real talk - forums like this are more helpful than Washington ESD's actual help resources half the time.

I might actually try this. Been trying to call Washington ESD for three days about my work search requirements and can't get through.

Thanks for mentioning it throughout the thread. Sometimes you need to talk to a real person instead of guessing from websites.

Absolutely. This thread gave me a great starting point but I'll definitely verify my specific requirements with Washington ESD.

Smart approach. Everyone's situation is a little different and the last thing you want is to lose benefits over a misunderstanding.