Conventional wisdom has it that the holiday season is a bad time to look for a job.
But conventional wisdom is wrong.
In fact, there are definite advantages to sustaining — and even ramping up — a full-time job search during the holidays.
This is no time to take a vacation! As tempting as it might be to kick back and relax, a brief review of the following points should convince you to get in gear and step up your efforts.
Businesses don’t take a holiday
Have you noticed how companies shut down operations during the last six weeks of the year? Or how the stock market closes between Halloween and New Year’s? Of course they don’t!
Business doesn’t stop. Hiring managers keep reading resumes that land on their desks and companies keep planning for the coming year.
Don’t break your momentum
Smart job seekers treat a job search as their full-time job. In time, you develop skills and learn techniques to get in the flow of things. It’s against your best interests to let the momentum dissipate. Losing this momentum in any season is detrimental to your success.
Continue to build your momentum in the following ways:
- Reconnect with everyone and expand your network. With all of the seasonal gatherings and celebrations, the holidays are a perfect opportunity to renew old acquaintances and make new ones.
- Devote “holiday time” to defining and refining your targets. If you can’t shake the feeling that the holidays are a bad time for a job search (even though you’re wrong!), use the downtime to hunker down at the computer to do more research and expand your job targets. Keep in mind the importance of pursing a variety of job options.
And if the holidays pass and you worry that you missed your chance, remember this for the year ahead: There is no such thing as a bad season for a job search.
