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The
conventional job-search wisdom used to be that, if you
weren't hired by late October, you were out of luck
until after the first of the year.
But times
have changed.
Today, there
are plenty of jobs to be had between Thanksgiving and
the middle of January, according to human resource
expert Susan M. Heathfield. "During the holiday season,
you enjoy reduced competition for jobs and easier access
to decision makers who are actually in the office," says
Heathfield.
This is due,
in part, to the global talent shortage, which has made
it harder for employers to attract top talent. "If good
candidates show up during the holiday season, we're
finding that management will take the time to see them.
In the past, they might have told them to come back in
January," says Michael Jalbert, President of executive
search firm MRINetwork.
Jalbert gives
three reasons not to slack off in your job search during
the holidays:
- Departments
are often under pressure to fill openings before
year's end to secure their remaining budget and
headcount allocations.
- While the
number of advertised positions tends to decrease
during the holidays, those that do appear are often
high-priority jobs that must be filled quickly.
- You will
likely face less competition because many other job
seekers have taken a break from their search.
With this in
mind, here are two ways to connect with your next job
during the holiday season ...
1) Party with a
Plan
There are
more parties and social events during the holidays than
usual, which means more opportunities for you to make
new contacts and renew old ones.
Since you
never know which conversation will produce your next job
lead, you should attend as many events as you can
reasonably fit into your calendar, according to
Heathfield.
"You don't
want to be obnoxious about your job search and aggravate
friends and relatives. But, do prepare a brief statement
that tells people you are looking for a job and the kind
of job you seek," suggests Heathfield.
Carry
business cards, along with paper and a pen for taking
notes. After every networking conversation, jot down the
key points, then enter them into some kind of database
at the end of the evening, for follow-up later. Whether
it's a box of 3x5 cards or a $500 PDA, use whatever
tools you need to manage your networking contacts.
2) Send a Card with
a Difference
We all get
greeting cards in December. For most of us, the charm
wears off after about the first 20 or so. That means, if
you hope to stand out by sending a holiday card to
hiring managers and other folks who are inundated with
mail, you probably won't.
So, why
not send a Happy New Year's card instead? After all,
when's the last time you got one of those in the
mail?
Send your new
year's cards on December 31, to arrive on or about
January 2. Send them to hiring managers and
well-connected friends. And use real cards, like those
sold at
www.Hallmark.com,
with real stamps. Because emailing a greeting card is
about as effective as emailing a steak sandwich.
One final
bit of encouragement for job seekers: some industry
sectors could see an up-tick in hiring in December,
according to Jalbert. "Construction companies in
Southern California, for example, are just starting to
staff up to rebuild the $1.5 billion in homes that were
destroyed in this summer's fires," he says.
Jalbert also
sees strong demand for such fields as chemical and
mechanical engineering, and information technology, as
the U.S. dollar continues to drop, causing jobs from
Europe and Canada to filter into the United States.
So if you're
looking for a new job, don't take a holiday from your
search just because it's December. Get out, get busy,
get connected, and get hired.
Kevin
Donlin is creator of TheSimpleJobSearch.com. Since 1996,
he has provided job-search help to more than 11,000
people. Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, The
Wall Street Journal, CBS Radio and others. His free
report, The Simple Job Search Manifesto, is found at
www.TheSimpleJobSearch.com.
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