When clients mention they’re going to put the brakes on their job search now that the holidays are approaching, I jump on my soap box and give them reasons to reconsider.
I recently shared my thoughts with Lee Miller of The Star-Ledger but wanted to spend more time on the subject with you:
- It can be a great time to pick up some temp work as companies try to complete projects by year-end or need help filling in for staff on vacation – and it goes without saying that getting your foot in the door by temping can be a smart move. They get to meet you, you get to meet them. It’s a great introduction!
- With it being a popular time for vacations, you can get lucky sometimes and the hiring manager may pick up his/her own calls if their assistant is out on vacation. You can increase these odds by calling first thing in the morning since a lot of execs will arrive by 8 or 8:30 and their assistants may not start til 9.
- There is still hiring during December. There’s no rule that says it stops. Sometimes a department or group is at risk for losing the headcount if they don’t fill the spot by year-end or sometimes it’s budgeted for this year and they don’t want to risk losing the funding so they remain focused on filling spots through December. How do I know this? I placed multiple candidates during the month of December every year while in executive search. Our office never came to a stand-still.
- You can make the week between Christmas and New Year’s work for you. It can be a very quiet week at many companies so if you take the time to call people that week, if they’re in the office, there’s a greater chance they’ll have time to speak with you.
- It’s a great time to schedule informational interviews if your contacts are in the office. Take advantage of others’ downtime by not turning it into downtime in your own search! People who are relaxed and in good spirits at work will be more amenable to speaking with you and trying to help you out.
- And if you believe nothing else, realize the numbers are on your side. Since so many job seekers do slow down their searches at this time of year, so if you stay out there, you’re cutting through less chatter and you’re giving yourself better odds. Think about it this way: if someone’s going to get through to the hiring manager or make strong strides on scheduling informational interviews, it should be you!
While I admit it can be tempting to take a breather during the holidays, keep it in moderation. The time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is a great time to network, schedule informational interviews, and work on speaking with hiring managers directly.
Now get shopping and get to work!
