Happy Holidays from the Career & Educational Resource Center! The holidays are upon us and though it’s busy with shopping, preparation and spending time with family and friends we often tend to put job searching and career planning activities on the back burner. Contrary to popular opinion, the holidays are still a good time to look for a job and can offer some unique opportunities that are not available during the rest of the year. Consider the following:
● Hiring continues during the holidays. Though there is a reduction in the number of jobs available, likewise, is the number of people applying for them. Continuing your job search during the holidays will result in a smaller applicant pool, good news for the job seeker!
● Use personal and professional events to network at holiday gatherings. Accept all the invitations you receive. You can meet a wide array of people in various fields. It’s ok to mention that you are job searching. Be casual and avoid being too pushy and aggressive; topics of employment often come up giving you the perfect opportunity to mention your present situation. Be prepared with your business / networking cards.
● Send out holiday cards and greetings. Send out generic holiday cards as a reminder to people you have previously reached out to. A simple message such as, “Looking forward to seeing you in the New Year,” or “Happy to have seen you this holiday season,” sends a reminder to people whom you have interviewed, networked or reached out to during the past year. Connect online as well on social media sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook. The holiday season is a good excuse to reinforce and expand your network.
● Take advantage of downtime. Schedule networking meetings and connect with acquaintances you haven’t seen in a while, both to celebrate the season and to remind them you’re still in the market for a job opportunity. Visit a bookstore, or better yet, visit your local library to find a good book on job searching or career planning to stimulate your job seeking initiatives.
● Be mindful of holiday blues. Regardless of one’s employment status, depression is common over the holiday season. Try to schedule time for constructive job search activities as well as time for personal relaxation and enjoyable activities. The holiday season is the season to give. Consider volunteering a small portion of your time to a worthy cause. Not only will it give you a sense of personal satisfaction it will enable you to meet new people and possibly lead you to unexpected opportunities.
● Most of all find time to appreciate the beauty of the season, spending time for yourself, family and friends to relax and enjoy! That’s important for all, whether we are job searching or not.
Wishing you all a joyous holiday season and that you receive that “special” something that you are so deserving of.
Best of luck with your career planning and job searching.
May the New Year bring you peace, happiness and success.
