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Why The Holidays Are The Best Time To Job Search

This article is more than 8 years old.

By: Wendi Weiner

With the launch of the infamous Starbucks red cup controversy and all the mall decorations, the holidays are at the forefront of our minds. Music is playing in the background, snow is falling on the ground (at least if you live in Illinois), and it’s time to get into the spirit of new beginnings and change.

But what about job seekers? Are the holidays really a good time to search?

The answer is an overwhelming yes. Many professionals (and job seekers) are preoccupied with all they have to do during the holidays – family gatherings, travel, winter break from school, big dinners, and shopping. Seemingly for many, job searching takes a back seat during this time. However, these types of distractions are actually even beneficial, because there is less competition for job seekers. The holidays aren’t always a slow period. On the contrary, there’s a significant rise in jobs and job opportunities.

There are key industries that have expansive hiring during the holiday season, particularly retail, operations, and even financial services. Companies are heavily entrenched in finalizing their business and budget goals for the New Year, which often include increasing the job force, closing out final deals, and negotiating acquisitions of new projects to jump start the fiscal year. Here’s another insider secret: there’s an influx of professionals who give notice during the holidays in order to take those well-planned and sought after dream vacations, and companies want to be fully staffed on January 1.

What does that mean? It means you need to seize the moment today. More simply put: If you want to begin your new job in January, you will need to begin job searching four to six weeks out. November is just about over and December is just around the corner.

Is your resume ready to go? Is your LinkedIn profile heading compelling and engaging? Is it current with your recent achievements from this past year? If not, now is the time to get all of that in order.

However, be warned that job boards are not the place to linger around during the holiday season. Companies will not always advertise on job boards during this time of the year. Instead, you want to get out there in person and actively search as well as meet and greet. In November and December, networking prospects and events are overflowing. Companies, organizations, and charities are notorious for having open invitation events to build solidarity and community awareness.

The holidays are a great time to re-connect, send holiday greetings to former colleagues, and open new doors to future opportunities. Research local industry leaders, chambers of commerce, and other professional associations to see what events they are offering for their holiday season. Attend networking events to learn more about industry happenings, multiply your professional connections, and even ask the hiring manager or your former colleague to meet over lunch the following week before he or she heads out to Aspen for two weeks of skiing. But, don’t forget to bring the holiday cheer with you, along with business cards to hand out during those events and meetings.

Rather than hitting the brakes on your job search and contemplating the holiday blues, hit the gas pedal to arrive at your next job with your right foot forward. ‘Tis the season; Make it merry and bright.

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Wendi Weiner is an attorney and owner of The Writing Guru, a top-ranked resume service firm. Based in Miami, Wendi has served clients in more than 30 industries, 40 states and multiple countries.