Sure… holidays are a time for relaxing and partying. But a holiday should also be a time of reflection, thinking about what you have done in the past year, and what the coming one may hold for you.
And that involves finding a new job or career, holidays are a great time to look for that fresh start, perspective, and opportunity.
Most job seekers stop job searching during the holidays
While many people take a break from job-hunting during the holiday season to relax or go on holidays, you shouldn’t—at least not completely.
Keeping this up is a great way to find a new job or career. Fewer people are applying for those jobs, making you a pleasant surprise for the employer in the New Year.
The holidays provide bountiful networking opportunities
During the holiday period, many companies hold events and functions.
Attending these events are a great opportunity for you to network, meet new people, and arrange a time to talk to a senior employee or executive in the New Year about possible work.
Your diligence will make you stand out
Expressing an interest in a new job or career during the holidays will show just how serious you are about these opportunities.
It’s a good time for shadowing or temporary work assignments
Seeking a shadowing, intern or temporary work assignments shows that you are interested in that field and is a great way to find a new job or career during the holidays.
It’s an opportunity for you to show your skills and contribute your experience to the team.
January and February are strong hiring periods
In January and February many companies have new budgets and projects to hire new employees for. You might look into job boards or other resources to look for vacant positions, if you’re in marketing and sales, perhaps looking at a list of some of the best sales job in Chicago might give you an idea on what these available posts are.
Now is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with old contacts
Old or new, a contact is a contact. All you have to do is reach out.The holidays are a great time to reach out to old contacts and take the first step of a new journey into a new job, career, and endless opportunities through them—no matter how awkward it may be at first.
You have time to update your resume
Keeping your resume updated is vital to your job hunt as it is one of, if not the most, important things you can have when applying for a job.
So every time you gain a new skill or experience, put it on your resume as it can build you up and help you get the job. If you’ve let that lag, use some holiday time to catch up on it.
Work on your social media presence
It’s an increasing trend for employers to look up potential employees online, see what social media accounts they have, and what they are posting online.
That’s why it’s important to have a good, clean social media presence to help you on your job search. So use some holiday time clean up your accounts to make sure there is nothing on them that could negatively impact your chances of employment. And if all else fails, delete your accounts completely and start again.
