Black Friday has come and gone and while retailers are seeing green, I’m seeing red. A lot of people tend to put the brakes on their job searches during the holiday season and that’s a big no-no. There’s still plenty of activity going on in the job market. I have several clients with interviews in the coming weeks and offers that we’re in the midst of negotiating.
While shopping for those super deals in the super stores can be a distraction and people tend to think nothing goes on between Thanksgiving and Christmas, that’s just not the case. True, things do slow down as we approach Christmas and grind to a halt between Christmas and New Year’s, but you need to keep job hunting on your “to do” list.
In addition to the fact that some companies continue to hire at this time of year, this is also a great time to be networking. There are all kinds of holiday parties and gatherings and you’ll miss out if you sit them out.
Even if you don’t plan to actively search for a new position, you can be using this time to make preparations for what traditionally is a very active hiring time, the first quarter. Those preparations should include (among other things):
1. Getting your resume in order,
2. Making sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date, and
3. Developing a strategic plan so you can hit the ground running after the first of the year.
A successful job search is an ongoing process, don’t put on the brakes because of misconceptions about holiday hiring. Along with shopping the super stores, keep hitting the job market and before you know it, you too will be seeing green this holiday season.
~Linda
