How to job search during the holidays
With the holidays now in full swing, there’s a tendency to want to relax and put your job search activities on the back burner. Many job seekers think that employers have stopped any hiring they might be considering and will ramp up in the New Year. If you buy into that, you’re missing 6-8 valuable weeks of search time. I recently helped a job seeker with interviewing preparation. She beat out 20 other applicants and got her permanent position right before Thanksgiving. She even got paid for the holiday time off even though she’d only been there for a week. The reality is employers seek candidates year round and even extend offers during this time. Karen Lewis, Careers in the Key of Life, agrees. She says, "don't approach the job search with the attitude that it's the holiday season and therefore, opportunities will be limited. Life, and work, goes on 365 days a year. Assume that people leave their jobs every day, openings are created everyday, so forge ahead. Planned Happenstance occurs sometimes when you least expect it!
In collaboration with some other job search professionals, I came up with a few tips for job seeking during the holidays. We all agreed that connecting with people is the most important thing you can do in the job search and especially during the holidays. Your job search activities should include those that connect you to hiring managers and those who can give you good leads. You also need to be prepared to make your pitch and present your qualifications should the opportunity arise. The tips below will help you in important ways as you continue or begin a job search during the holidays.
Holiday Job Search Tip #1: Connect With As Many People As Possible
The holiday season is the perfect time to connect with people and make new contacts. Built into the holidays are numerous occasions for reaching out. You can send greeting cards and holiday updates, attend parties and events, and volunteer with churches or community organizations.
Sally Gelardin, job search expert, suggests sending out entertaining, not boring, holiday e-cards to all of your contacts. They’re conversation starters. People appreciate the diversion of well-written personable cards and are more likely to respond to an electronic card. To make a more memorable impression, Sally further suggests writing something humorous on the card such as, "I don't usually have the time to send out personalized holiday cards, but since I am in the midst of a job hunt, I have the good fortune this year to have a bit more time on my hands...." or "Since I have time and like to keep up my skills, I'm volunteering with Santa this year, handing out free resume reviews…" You can fill in the blanks as appropriate.
It’s also important to attend as many parties and holiday events as possible. These are great opportunities to network and learn of new opportunities. To make the most of the networking opportunities, career coach, Linda Artel, suggests having your 30-second introduction ready and use it whenever it seems appropriate. She advises that you get names and cards when you can. If requested, send your resume before the holidays and follow up shortly after New Year’s. This is a great way to get into the hiring manager’s pipeline. Career Advisor, Megan Pittsley encourages job seekers attend Chambers of Commerce mixers, professional association meetings, alumni gatherings, and singles groups, to name a few. Those are great opportunities to network where people are out and about and make connections while others tend to take the holidays off!
Shahrzad Arasteh, Certified Professional Resume Writer, offers an additional perspective. She says, "Attend those holiday parties and gatherings! Engaging in meaningful social interactions is good for your physical and psychological health.
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