Use the festive season to help your job search

If you are looking for a new job, it might feel like you should slow down now till the New Year, but there are lots of ways in which the festive season can help your job search.

December is often less competitive than January – many job searchers reduce their efforts then, thinking that there’s not much going on in the job market and welcoming the chance to get on with their Christmas shopping.  Folk who are in jobs but thinking about moving will often wait till the New Year.  That seems like the obvious time to make a change and they may prefer to keep their current regular income coming in especially this year with the increasing costs of Christmas.

Some organisations will postpone recruitment until the New Year, but for others, it might be important to make recruitment decisions before the end of the year, possibly to use up budgets – or simply to be ready to hit the New Year running.  You can always make the first approach that then may end up with a meeting or interview being set up for the New Year.

Christmas parties can bring networking opportunities. It might be a quiet chat with a cousin who you only see once a year at a family do, or the chance to meet potential employers at your professional association’s annual bash.  Indeed, it might be a good chance to network internally with people from other parts of your own organisation if it has a Christmas party.  Have ready a concise description of what you do and another of what you are looking for, and stick to one or two drinks only…

Whilst for many there is a real rush to meet deadlines before the holidays, for some, business slows down so it might be a good chance to set up in person or on-line networking meetings particularly during the gap between Christmas and New Year which can be a “dead” time if clients are on holiday.

Use Christmas cards or emails to reconnect with past interviewers or people who’ve helped in your job search, reminding them of where/when you met and letting them know what you are doing now.  Remember to reiterate your interest in them or their organisation by referring back to what they were doing or planning when you last met.

Finally, there are many more volunteering opportunities over the festive season – a great way to boost your sense of worth and also meet new people.