How a December Job Search Can Yield Great Gifts
Whether you’re looking to make a change or looking for a new role full time, it can be tempting to spend the holiday season on a break from your job search. No one hires over the holidays anyway, right? Wrong.
According to the data, December may be one of the best months of the year to look for your next work opportunity. Increased turnover, decreased applicant pools, and year-end hiring quotas are just some of the reasons you may want to consider transferring your job search from your post-holiday resolutions file and placing it front and center on your December to-do list.
- Less Competition
It may be tempting to postpone your December job search and throw yourself into the holiday festivities. Looking for a job is exhausting, and it can be tempting to take some time to relax, but waiting until the new year rolls around to get serious about your job search isn’t the best way to play the odds. January is one of the busiest times of year for hiring managers. Most are buried under stacks of resumes — and your application is likely to get lost in the shuffle.
Focusing on your December job search and getting your application in before the January rush means that you have a better chance of standing out from the competition. Recruiters are more likely to have the leisure to spend extra time studying your resume, increasing your chances of landing an interview. Speaking of resumes—should you need help getting yours in order, consider working with a free resume builder, or from industry-specific resume templates.
- Budget Pressures
As the year winds to a close, companies often discover they have money left in the budget, which is why so many hiring managers find themselves in a use-it-or-lose-it position at year-end. Eager not to forfeit salary lines, many managers are apt to welcome a well-crafted resume from a qualified candidate in December. As an added bonus, once you’re on an employer’s radar, the hiring process is likely to be accelerated in December as budget deadlines loom and hiring managers work to fill needed positions.
At the same time, recruiters keen to make their annual and quarterly numbers are likely to see the stream of eager job applicants dwindle down to a trickle during the holidays. As a result, if you contact recruiters as part of your December job search, you are likely to get lots of their time and attention.
- Increased Turnover
December is also a popular time of year for employees looking to make a change to hand in their resignation. Dissatisfied workers often wait until their year-end bonus is in hand to announce their departure, leaving employers scrambling to replace key roles as soon as possible during a time of year when they know they are likely to face a dearth of candidates. By keeping up your December job search, you have a better chance of presenting yourself as the answer to your next employer’s problems.
- Tis the Season to Network
Use the season as an excuse to check in and reconnect. December is the perfect time to reach out to former colleagues and classmates and offer to take them for a seasonal coffee or cocktail and catch up. Sending a “thinking of you” note or holiday card to a former mentor can lead to a constructive career check-in or even an unexpected job referral.
Another way to leverage your December job search is to look for seasonal work. A temporary holiday role can provide another opportunity to make new connections and expand your reputation as a hard worker and valuable employee.
The holidays also present opportunities to tag along with friends to a company party or join a corporate volunteer opportunity. If you are sincere, friendly, helpful, and not too pushy with the prepared elevator pitches, these year-end social and philanthropic occasions can provide opportunities to have fun, do some good, and learn about unexpected job prospects.
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