Move Your Job Search Forward During the Holidays
Have you noticed that new job openings aren’t posted as frequent lately? Factor in a touch economy and the holiday season - and it can feel like a set back.
December can be a nerve-wracking stretch of time. With end of year projects wrapping up, holiday events, and teams taking time off—hiring slows down every year.
So how do you keep things moving forward without losing momentum in your job search?
💡Here are a few ideas to use this downtime to your advantage:
1. Refresh your Application Materials. If you haven’t stepped back to look at your job search tools in a while, now might be the perfect time. Have you been using the same resume & cover letter without results? Are there recent accomplishments you haven’t had time to add to your resume? Did you take on new projects or gain new skills? Take a closer look at your Resume, Cover Letter, or LinkedIn Profile and see what can use some updating. A resume refresh or LinkedIn update might reinvigorate your search.
2. Evaluate Your Strategy. Sometimes we keep pressing apply, without really considering what is working. Take some time to pause and evaluate your job search strategy. What sites have been helpful? What connections have you tapped into - or not? What companies align with your values and interests? A targeted approach may result in greater outcomes.
3. Make Time for Professional Development. Whether it’s a technical skill you’ve wanted to learn, or an article that you bookmarked forever ago, use this time to catch up on those professional development areas that you don’t have time. ***Bonus - When you dive into professional development, no matter how small, you'll have new content to add to your resume or talk about in interviews.
4. Be Patient! Yes, job opportunities are slow, but that doesn’t mean they are non-existent. Companies still need people (even with AI everywhere!) and there might even be less competition as other job seekers take a holiday pause. Keep in mind the interview process may take longer due to scheduling challenges, but be patient, and keep at it, and you may be surprised at what you find.
5. Take time for yourself. It’s also OK to pause and take a breather, especially if you’ve been job searching for some time. The job boards will get busy again once the new year kicks in. If you can, try to enjoy the downtime and the break. We’ll be back to fast pace life again before you know it!
👉 What job search strategies have worked for you during the holidays? I’d love to hear them!
Thanks for reading to the end :) The Resume Focus blog is my corner of the web where I share career tips and insights regularly. Check back for more! If you’d like more personalized support with career transitions, resumes, LinkedIn, or your new year job search strategy, I’d love to talk.
