Many job seekers take a break from job searching during the holidays. It’s a hectic time of year, and it can be a challenge to juggle getting ready for the holidays with keeping a job hunt moving forward. But that may be a mistake.
Let's face it, business does slow down during the holidays, but not how you'd think. A slower holiday season for businesses means more time for hiring. According to research, most people quit their jobs in November. Which can mean more job openings and less competition for available jobs because of the number of job seekers who take a break from their job hunt during the holidays.
Employers are Hiring
Don’t be fooled, companies are hiring! Check the job boards, like Indeed, Monster, or CareerBuilder, and you will see thousands of available jobs that employers need to fill now. Be sure to check the leading job sites regularly, so you don’t miss out on job leads.
Less Competition for Available Jobs.
Even though you might need a new job, it can be hard to manage a job search when there are so many other things happening during the holidays. Let's face it, the holidays are a stressful time in general, adding a job search on top of it can be overwhelming. For some people, it’s easier to focus on the season's festivities than the job hunt. That’s fine, of course, but if you’re a self-starter who can multi-task, you’ll find less competition for jobs.
Keeping your job search going could give you a chance for an interview that you may not have gotten during another time of year. That's because the candidate pool is generally more competitive during other parts of the year – like the spring and summer. It’s also a good idea to keep your job search organized. Keeping your job search organized will help you manage multiple priorities.
Salary and Benefits are Better
It’s always good to start January with your life in order if you can. Having your compensation set for the year not only helps pay the bills, but it also helps with budgeting and tax planning.
Most companies use a January-December calendar year, so money frees up in January when the previous year is closed out and the new accounting cycle begins. This gives you a little wiggle room for salary and benefit negotiations.
A little extra time off during the holidays during transition
You will still get some holiday time off from work even if you’re a brand-new employee. Many companies are closed for at least Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Others close for even longer when the holidays wrap around a weekend. You also may be entitled to pro-rated time off, depending on your start date.
Start dates can be negotiable. Two weeks is typical if you are giving notice to your current employer. You may be able to extend that out to a later date, especially if there are Christmas or New Years holidays when the business is closed. That would give you a bit of extra time to move a start date back and spend more time with your friends and family celebrating the season and your new gig!
Networking at Holiday Parties
Holiday parties are great time to meet new people and connect with old ones in a social setting. Prepare an elevator pitch so you can present yourself in a compelling way. You never know when you might meet someone who can introduce you to a recruiter or hiring manager. It’s also a good time to send a holiday card or online message to contacts so you can stay top of mind.
Things Slow Down
You will inevitably have a few breaks during the holidays when you can focus on your job search. That’s the perfect opportunity to work on things like your personal brand. For example, look at your LinkedIn profile to see how you can improve it. It never hurts to update your coverphoto or profile picture and share a few interesting articles. This is an excellent time to list your key accomplishments for the year, update your resume and schedule calls with friends and acquaintances you haven't been in touch with for a while.
Maintain Your Momentum
If you’ve already jumpstarted your job search, it makes sense to maintain the momentum. Even if you slow down a bit, you can still take small steps to stay on track. If you stop your job search altogether, it will be that much more difficult to get motivated in January. Plus, securing a new job before the start of the year can give you peace of mind.
New Year, New You
Are you a resolutioner? Start the year off in the right direction. Even if you don’t have that dream job by January 1st, make a plan and stick with it! 2023 is your year!
Register at www.workforwarriors.org to start your new career today!
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