Top Tips for Getting Hired During the Holidays
by Pauline Fournier
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, meaning December will soon be here. This is the time of year when many job seekers wonder if they will be hired by the end of the year. Companies continue hiring right up until the end of the year, so it is possible. I accepted a job on December 23rd several years ago, so I know first-hand that it can happen. So what are the most important things you can do to increase your chances of getting hired this holiday season?
Keep looking!
The best way to land a job this season is to keep looking. Don’t take your foot off the gas now. Some jobs are being posted now for January start dates. You will miss those opportunities if you stop browsing the job boards and stop your networking efforts. There could be less competition for available roles because other job seekers will stop looking. Budgets have been finalized and hiring managers know the roles they need to meet goals for next year.
Create a schedule
Setting a schedule can help establish a healthy balance between job searching and social activities. You need to make time for both. It will also ensure that you do something daily and hold you accountable for making progress. Set a timer if you tend to get lost while searching online. When the timer goes off, evaluate your progress and decide whether to stop or set another timer. Staying productive can also help you maintain your momentum. Restarting can often be harder than maintaining some traction.
Connect with your network
This is a great time of year to reconnect with friends and colleagues you’ve lost touch with. I’ve been telling candidates for a couple of weeks to send Happy Thanksgiving messages to people they want to reconnect with. Send notes to those who have already helped you in your search as well. Suggest a quick phone call, meeting for coffee, or getting together when they are out of work. After Thanksgiving, send Happy Holiday messages. People will want to reconnect and help you if you give them the opportunity.
Attend holiday events
Attend holiday events and mingle. Whether the event is a friend’s party or sponsored by industry or professional organizations, these gatherings are a great place to meet others and set up a time for further conversations. Let others know you are looking, but don’t corner a potential hiring manager at the event. Reach out afterward to set up a meeting.
Stay positive!
Continuing to look, creating a schedule, reconnecting with your network, and attending events will all feel easier if you stay positive. Positivity is a mindset. Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right”. You can do this! Keep a gratitude journal, writing at least three things you are grateful for daily. Smile more! Get out in nature if you can. Think about the things that make you happy and do them. When you have a positive mindset, you will present in a more positive way increasing your chances of being hired.
