By Kate Wendleton
You've been on the job hunt for months, maybe even all year, and you're looking forward to the coming respite from search-related stress and disappointment. The holidays are here, after all. And it's common knowledge that nothing happens on the hiring front from Thanksgiving to New Year's. You might as well give the pavement pounding a rest and focus on decking the halls for a while. Right?
Wrong. In fact, now is exactly the time to hit your job search the hardest. Although most job seekers don't realize it, conditions are ideal for them this time of year. It may come as a big surprise, but looking for a job around the holidays actually increases your chances of getting hired. You have less competition, and many organizations are in a hiring mood.
Here are some suggestions for how you can maximize your momentum amidst the merriment:
Tis the season for your competition to take a breather. Nearly everyone believes the "no one gets hired during the holidays" myth, so the majority of your competition will be off fa-la-la-ing while you're still filling out applications. The fact is, it's much easier to out-class and out-perform the competition when there's next to none of it!
It's amazing how many people retire from the job hunt battle this time of year and leave the field wide open. At no other time will it be easier for you to really distinguish yourself from the pack. For one thing, hiring managers will have fewer résumés to distract them; plus, they'll be impressed by your drive and persistence, because most of your peers are taking it easy.
Managers are planning their post-Auld Lang Syne moves now. January is often one of the biggest hiring months of the year. However, no organization will say right now that it plans to hire in January; all you'll hear is that there are no openings at present (which is technically true).
The world isn't pressing pause just because the halls are decked. The fact that the annual alcohol-laced karaoke party has been scheduled doesn't mean that business as usual stops. Think about it: The stock market is trading. Stores are still open. Deals are still being negotiated. Certainly, this time of year comes with a special set of distractions, but underneath the trimmings, it's business as usual. If there's hiring to be done, it will be done.
Your momentum won't sustain itself through the merriment. Unless your job hunt started last week, you've built up some amount of momentum. You've made contacts. You've gotten your foot in some doors. You've started to prove how wonderful you are. Don't let all of that effort go to waste by slacking off now! If you do, it'll take you weeks to make up the lost ground. Slackening of momentum is one of the greatest job-hunt saboteurs. When people fail to have lots of things in the works, they concentrate on the one great job that they really want, and they're devastated when they come in second or the company puts a freeze on hiring. Then, it takes them two or three weeks to dig out of the depression, and who knows how many great opportunities have slipped by in the meantime?
Improve your job search
There are three stages to a job search: being in touch with six to 10 people in your target market on an ongoing basis; getting those people to actively express interest in having someone like you on board; and inspiring them to discuss real jobs with you. The following strategies will help.
Reconnect with the year's contacts. The holidays are a time to send cards and good wishes to friends and family, so why not extend that tradition to all of the job-search contacts you've made throughout the year? Send a card or email thanking each person for his or her help, and include an update on your situation. You never know when the right memory might be sparked!
Expand, define, and redefine your targets. You may have a short-or long-list of associations and nonprofits on which you're focusing, but that list isn't definitive. The last thing you want is a skimpy or sloppy group of targets that lacks breadth and depth. Plus, you never know when you might discover a new organization you never knew about that's an ideal fit.
Focus on avenues you've neglected. Everyone has a preferred method of getting meetings, whether it's through ads, search firms, networking, or direct contacts. During the next few weeks, focus on the avenues you normally skimp on. You'll probably identify new hiring trends, new contacts, and new positions.
Don't withdraw from your support network. Don't use the holidays as an excuse to skip support group meetings to receive advice and help in you job search. One of your primary goals should always be to make sure your search is moving forward. Accountability and outside input are crucial in helping you stay on track, and they also ensure that your job search doesn't lose originality and momentum.
Accept holiday party invitations! You might be tempted to become a holiday hermit because you don't want to field questions about "what you're doing right now" or "how your job search is going." To some extent, that's understandable, especially if your situation hasn't changed in a long time, but avoidance is the wrong attitude to have. This is a party time of year, so get out there and network! Tell people you're looking for your next situation, and be sure to tell them the kind of job you're looking for. Take advantage of as many opportunities to meet new people as possible, and be ready to share your 30-second pitch on what you're looking for,"
Remember, keep adding to your job-search to-do list, and check it twice.
Kate Wendleton is president of The Five O'Clock Club, an outplacement and career coaching firm. She can be reached through her website at: www.fiveoclockclub.com