All we want for Christmas is to help you find a job! Of course, we know the holidays are about being with loved ones, but that doesn’t mean you can’t squeeze in some time to set yourself up for success in the New Year.
The weather outside is frightful, but the market is so delightful. That’s why you should take advantage of it now! We’ve already talked about how job seekers should engage in a different kind of shopping spree for the holiday season. If you haven’t started yet though, don’t worry. You’re still in luck.
The first quarter is one of the busiest hiring booms of the year. Employers have a new budget, and companies everywhere are looking to grow. Now is the time to seek out new opportunities. Lucky for you, we’re here to help!
Here are some quick tips to find your dream job during the holidays.
Make Your LinkedIn Nice, Not Naughty
Step one in a successful job hunt is to update your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is a powerful weapon in the job hunt but can also hurt your chances of finding new opportunities if you don’t put in the time.
When you submit your resume and cover letter to an employer, one of the first things they might do is look you up on LinkedIn. If there are any discrepancies between your resume and your profile, it’s a huge red flag. That’s why it’s good to periodically update your profile, especially when you’re looking for a new job.
Your summary on LinkedIn should read like an elevator pitch. Make it short, sweet and, above all else, original. That means you need to drop trite buzzwords like “team player” and “driven” from your profile. This is your opportunity to answer your “so what?,” to explain why you do what you do. Don’t waste any space with meaningless words. Don’t just tell people how “unique” you are—show them!
Speaking of which, the next section you should update is your profile picture. They say a picture’s worth a thousand words, but all yours needs to say is, “I’ll take the corner office, thanks.” A creative way to make yourself pop on LinkedIn is with an action shot.
If you’re a physician, have someone take a picture of you seeing a patient (with the patient’s permission, of course). If you’re a coder, get a picture that captures you writing code. Give people a glimpse of what you do every day.
Jingle Bell ROCK Those Holiday Parties
All work and no play isn’t how you should spend the holiday! Christmas parties are an essential part of the season, but that doesn’t mean you can’t mix business with pleasure. These parties can be great networking opportunities.
It only takes one contact to land your dream job. Seriously, referrals are the best way to get hired for a position. In fact, a Jobvite study found that referred applicants are 15 times more likely to be hired than applicants from a job board.
Now, before you go printing out a stack of resumes for your next holiday event, keep this in mind: It’s a party—not a job fair.
Networking shouldn’t be your only focus, no matter how badly you want a new job. Enjoy yourself, first and foremost. The last thing you want is to be oozing with desperation, killing the festive merriment.
Come into the situation with an open mind and maybe a few business cards. Focus on meeting new people and establishing quality connections. As career coach Kathleen Brady notes:
Your first objective is to establish a connection that provides a context for future contact. This is not the time or place to close the deal. Think about it as creating an on-ramp to building a relationship with the person. You can call to set up a follow-up meeting after the holidays.
Bottomline: Don’t force it. If you do talk to someone who may be able to help you, center the conversation around them. Build that rapport first. Then, you can follow up later in a friendly email telling them how great it was to meet them.
Even if nothing comes of the event, it’s good to put yourself out there. After all, your professional network always has room to grow.
Have a Holly Jolly Job Hunt
Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone take all the exhaustive research out of the job hunt, someone who could scour all the available positions to find the perfect one for you? Well, you’re in luck. That’s what we’re here for!
Some people are weary of recruiters, but the overwhelming majority of candidates (92%) who use them have satisfying experiences. Of course, we can’t deny that there are bad recruiters out there. That’s why you need to be careful if you choose to work with one.
Find a recruiter who listens to you and understands where you want your career path to go. A good recruiter will establish a relationship with you first. After all, how can they find the perfect job for you if they don’t know your personality, values, dreams and everything else that makes you who you are?
Having someone like that on your side is invaluable to your job search and can take out a lot of the stress that comes with these tough decisions. If you don’t want to brave the search alone, we’re always happy to help!
For us, helping others achieve their dreams is the greatest gift of all.
Merry Christmas!
