Written by: Michelle Schafer, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
I remember the days when December was a slow month for job seekers and career coaches alike. It felt like the summer lull, when the number of job postings decreased and people paused their search in favour of cottage vacations and outdoor adventures.
Now, the job search is more vibrant than ever before, with new job postings making an appearance every day, recruiters actively pursuing potential candidates and interviews booked right up to the start of holidays. The job market is hot, and there are lots of opportunities up for grabs. However, candidates are tired – not just from engaging in a job search, but also because this pandemic continues to drone on, gaining new life from the recent Omicron variant.
So it’s completely natural and understandable for candidates to want to rest and relax over the holidays and decide to pause their search until after the break. Except if they do, they may miss out on a fulfilling role with a company that believes what they believe in.
Here’s the myth: the job market takes a rest over the holidays, no hiring decisions are made over the break and people are too busy anyways to make time for networking conversations.
Now, here’s the reality: positions continue to be advertised, interviews continue to be arranged, and people have more time to engage in networking conversations.
So how do you keep the momentum building during a holiday job search?
Establish a routine – when you were working, you likely had a regular “flow” to your day which may have involved commuting to the office, participating in meetings, writing reports and commiserating over coffee with coworkers. With a job loss, this routine vanishes, making way for a new routine. Without a routine to support your search, one day can easily bleed into the next. Carve out a specific time for your job search and plug this into your calendar like you would a meeting – whether it be 1 hr, 2 hrs or longer. When this time is over, walk away and do something for yourself that feeds your soul, such as reading, visiting with family/friends, going for a long walk, or having a cup of coffee uninterrupted.
Update your resume – if you haven’t already, take a serious look at your resume (better yet, have someone else review it and provide you with feedback). Ensure your profile summary clearly articulates your value, and your achievement statements indicate the results and outcomes of your efforts.
Do some research – make a list of all the organizations you’d want to reach out to, people who can make the connection and your “ask” of each contact
Reach out to others – believe it or not, networking can be most effective over the holidays. Often schedules are less busy, and people have more time to have a conversation about how they got started in their chosen profession, what makes their company a great place to work, and how you can refine your marketing approach. Have your “elevator pitch” ready to go!
Connect with recruiters – in addition to registering with search firms and uploading your resume, request a meeting with a recruiter so you can tell your career “story” and outline your skills and experience.
Stay active on LinkedIn – for as little as a 5-10 min investment per week, you can stay in touch with your network contacts. “Like” the posts of others, share articles your network will find interesting and congratulate individuals on job promotions and work anniversaries. This will help you stay top of mind with your network.
Take a course – for a fee, LinkedIn Learning provides over 16,000 online courses where you can sharpen your skills in project leadership, communication and computer proficiency (to name a few). Remember to add these courses to your resume!
Give back to your community – there are lots of volunteer opportunities to explore over the holidays. Check out the available roles in your community – and choose one. Better yet – create your own! Volunteer work can also be added to your resume – it’s a chance to develop your skills, meet some new people (who will now be part of your network) and make an impact. And it shows you’ve been active during your job search.
It doesn’t have to be “all or nothing” in your search over the holidays – it is possible to enjoy time with family and friends (and I encourage you to do so!) while continuing to engage in your job search. If you keep things moving through the end of December and into January, you will build momentum and make it easier to be fully in a job search when you turn the page on 2021 and enter 2022, ready to welcome new possibilities (and perhaps a new job!).
Michelle Schafer, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Michelle Schafer is an International Coaching Federation Certified Coach and Facilitator, specializing in career transition and leadership. She is the owner and founder of Michelle Schafer Coaching, empowering people to achieve career fulfillment. Michelle has personally experienced two significant career transitions through restructuring and has reinvented herself for new careers both times. She deeply understands the physical, emotional and mental impact associated with a job search. Michelle is passionate about people and inspired by their progress, working with clients at all levels of an organization and across sectors including federal and municipal government, high tech, not-for-profit and financial services. Michelle offers coaching 1:1, in groups and recently was certified in the foundations of team coaching with the Global Team Coaching Institute.
