a familiar theme this time of year! A blanket of snow yesterday in my part of New England really helps to evoke the spirit of the holidays ahead. And for most job seekers, it seems to signal a relaxation in their search efforts. I’ve heard it all over the years: “No one hires during the holidays” “I can’t reach anyone, so why bother?” “I’ll start up again right after the first of the year.”
While it may be true in some sectors that actual hiring *decisions* won’t be made until after January 1, candidate vetting, selection, interviewing, and preliminary decisions most definitely *are* being made in many organizations and companies at this time of year. It is precisely because of the myth (that Thanksgiving-to-New Year’s is the worst time of year to look for a job) that you should double-up on your search efforts right now!
So many folks buy into the erroneous theories about this being a poor time of year for job search that you’ll find yourself the beneficiary: You’ll likely compete with far fewer people in garnering the attention you desperately seek! Add to this the festive mood that can prevail and you may find folks more willing and available to take your calls. Your quest for informational meetings may be met more positively. And for actual openings you source and for which you become a candidate (always through the side door — a warm introduction wherever possible — use that LinkedIn network to leverage a connection!), you’ll find yourself competing with far fewer candidates these weeks between Thanksgiving and January 1, 2013.
Get out there — and good luck!
Jan Melnik, M.A., MRW, CCM, CPRW | President, Absolute Advantage | www.janmelnik.com
Be inspired. It’s your career. It’s your life.