It’s that time of year again. We have reached the beginning
of November and the holiday season is quickly approaching! What a great time of
year, there are so many opportunities to see friends and family that you may
have not seen in a while, maybe take a trip, and let’s not forget all of the
amazing food we get to eat, football to watch, events to attend, etc.! Wow,
when you break it down there is a lot going on, over these next couple of
months, and that’s not to mention everything you need to get accomplished at
work, or in order to get work (a job).
Earlier this year we spoke, briefly about the potential for
a slowdown in hiring and job seeking during the summer months. This wasn’t a
result of companies not hiring during those months, but rather that there are
more hindrances throughout the process. The holiday season is another one of
those times where job seekers think “Hey,
everyone is too busy doing other things during the holidays to hire or there is too much going on right now, I’ll just wait until the New Year to pick my
search back up“. If you are serious about looking for a new job, don’t think
like that, don’t slow down, and definitely don’t stop! The companies who are
hiring definitely won’t be stopping!
Why? The holiday season marks the end of a year. Many
companies will have hiring budgets that they need to fill, otherwise they lose the
budget for next year. There is also the possibility that they are preparing for
the upcoming year/quarter or that openings they had put off earlier in the year
due to budget constraints, are now a go. Whatever the reason may be, there will
be lost opportunity if you skimp on your search efforts now.
There are some great opportunities for you as a job seeker
throughout the holiday season that can greatly assist you in your search.
Get the advantage over your competition; even with all the
information out there warning job seekers not to slow their efforts during this
time of year, many still do. Plant the seed now and grow your relationships, it
may just beat out your competition in the future. It is worthy to note that
yes, people are busy this time of year and their schedules are going to mimic
that. So, be flexible and make yourself available to meet on other people’s
schedules.
Put emphasis on networking; the parties and professional
events (there are a lot of them this time of year) that you attend throughout
the season are all great ways to expand and strategically place yourself in your
network. It’s also a great excuse to reconnect with those you may have lost
contact with, send them a card or a catch-up email. You should always be
looking to help your network; however, it does present you with opportunities
to inform your network that you are looking for a new job (I’d highly recommend
not always making this the topic of conversation though). Keep in mind the
people you haven’t seen in a while may know of opportunities you don’t, so
incorporate your career aspirations into the conversation, but don’t make it
all about you.
The holidays traditionally are a time for “giving” so find
ways to help the people in your network. Volunteer at a local organization,
community shelter, church, school, etc. Give back to those that have helped you
and offer your services to those who may be in need of it. The amount of
possibilities for volunteering during the holidays are endless. There are so
many organizations that provide charitable services which depend on a wide
variety of skillsets to accomplish. Take these opportunities to expand your
skills/knowledge base or experience a different field of work first hand. Find
something you are passionate about and help others. Just remember, talk to the
people you are working with, it is a networking opportunity after all! Efforts
you make, like volunteering may not be reciprocated in the same manner as say,
mentoring someone in your network, but the people you volunteer with may just
be the people to help you find a new job! And, if it doesn’t work out that way,
just think about the people you have helped as a result of volunteering; it’s a
great motivator.