Christmas is coming and this is the quiet time for head hunting, hiring and recruitment activities. But before you wind down your job search to zero or give up, keep in mind, while not so many jobs get advertised, some companies are still hiring over the holiday period. What this means to you as a job hunter, is that contrary to what most people tell you, this could be the perfect time to get your resume or selection criteria in front of a decision-maker who need to hire a person as a matter of urgency, (plus you face less competition as less job seekers looking). So keep on looking.
The holiday period is also a perfect time to prepare for a future job hunt. Use the time to:
Take a good hard look at your resume and selection criteria
Like it or not, these documents are your key to obtaining an interview and your only chance to make a good first impression. Competition is really tough for some jobs, so before you put pen to paper, make sure you are suitably qualified so you are only targeting those jobs in which there is a good chance that a well-written application will get you through to interview. If applying for a government job, I strongly suggest that you touch base with the contact officer and obtain more information about the position, including ascertaining whether someone is acting in the position, so you can gauge your competition. Once you have obtained the relevant information, set aside at minimum a whole day so you can write strong evidence based responses to selection criteria.
In terms of your resume, effective resumes are highly focused marketing pieces that must be strategically written and designed to sell YOU as the best solution to potential employer’s needs and problems. Both your resume and selection criteria, must illustrate your unique value proposition that will differentiate you from your competitors in the job market. Do your documents accomplish these goals? Are they outcomes focussed? Do they accurately represent you in the way you wish to be presented?
If not, it is time to rewrite these documents, as poor marketing documents might be the key reason why you are not securing interviews.
Use the downtime to start networking
If you are working at a company where the holiday season is a slow one, take advantage. If on holiday, take the time to use your network of acquaintances and contacts to network. The holiday season is a great excuse to get in touch and let your contacts know you are on the market for a job. For example:
- Send a Christmas card to networking contacts, recruiters and to employers that could help you with your job search.
- Connect with your professional network online via LinkedIn. The season to be merry is a great excuse to touch base and reinforce or expand your network.
If networking freaks you out, remember that networking is not about asking for a job, you are simply asking for referrals or advice from people that might be able to assist you. I mean, would you be upset if someone you knew contacted you to inform you of their job search and asking for some advice, or to point them in the right direction during the silly season? Of course not, in fact you would probably be very flattered, so why not use this method as a way to discover new opportunities and network your way into a position?
Use the holiday to research job prospects
This is the perfect time to undertake research on various opportunities that will be available in the short-term future. Use the time constructively and research companies over the Internet. This is a great time to get information relating to whether a company is experiencing growth, or compile a list of the right contact person within your targeted companies. Remember, companies experiencing growth need to hire and won’t stop hiring over the holiday season. Even though holidays are bunched up at this time of year, if a business has competitive pressures, are growing markets or undertaking a new strategic initiative they are not going to stop hiring because of Santa Clause.
Leave a Reply